


Fate Untold

by Keira_Emerald



Series: Fate's Chosen [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, BAMF Harry Potter, BAMF Hermione Granger, BAMF Ron Weasley, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dark Harry Potter, Dark Hermione Granger, Dark Ron Weasley, Evil Albus Dumbledore, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Female Ron Weasley, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Multi, Sane Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-23 13:21:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 80,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20008957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keira_Emerald/pseuds/Keira_Emerald
Summary: Fate's done her part with handpicking the individual meant to be the Wizarding World's salvation. She's proud of how far her Chosen One has already come with only just being present for less than a year. It seems that, for once, the future is bright. Now, it's Magic's turn to lend a hand (and maybe Life and Death will play a part as well). Ashley Potter's journey is far from over, it's only just getting started.





	1. The Hissing Owl

**Author's Note:**

> I own anything you don't recognize, including the major plot of things.

**1992 | Marauder Mansion, Borough of Islington, London**

Cheerful laughter resonated through the halls of a magically concealed building where a grim home once stood. A red rubber ball came from around one corner, bouncing off the parallel walls before rolling to a stop. A large black blur suddenly sped by and lunged to trap the bouncy toy within the grasp of its jaws. It was Sirius, though his current form was more so known as Padfoot. He faced the end of the hallway and sat back, patiently waiting for his companion. This happened to be Ashley, his precious Bambi, who praised him like he wanted her to for winning their game of fetch. She laughed and gave him a belly rub when he flopped down on his back. Feeling satisfied, he eventually stood and padded away with her trailing behind him. He bounded into the living room area where he was met with an exasperated Remus. The werewolf had warned the Animagus time and time again that he was to play outside where there was proper space. However, Remus visibly lost his frown, it being replaced by a soft smile, when he caught sight of their ever so lovely cub.

"Bambi, what have I told the two of you?" He chided, attempting to school his expression.

"To not play inside... Sorry, Remy. We got a bit bored." Ashley grinned sheepishly.

"...How can I ever stay mad at you?" Remus sighed, fondly gazing at her.

He watched the fascinating way her eyes lit up with joy as she beamed. That response was always so fascinating; no matter how much it happened around him. If he was asked to name his most favorite feature of Ashley's, it'd be them, her eyes. Oh, those brilliant eyes of hers. They spoke volumes of her emotions. When she was happy, they brightened tenfold than their typical glow. When she was sad, they dimmed in color with no spark to be found. When she was mad... Now, _that_ was definitely a sight that never failed to enrapture those who were fortunate (or if the anger was aimed at them, _unfortunate_ ) enough to witness the phenomenon. Killing Curse green eyes, already intimidating with its odd, bright shade, gained a threatening blaze in them paired with a murderous look that could wither the confidence of even the fiercest Death Eater, maybe Voldemort himself. And just imagine during that, her aura radiated with the power nobody would expect from such a young girl. It made _Moony_ shiver, even though he was well aware that his cub would never hurt him any way, shape, or form. Her eyes made her an open book for everyone to read. Well, everyone who paid attention to their changes, that is.

"Remy?"

"Yes?"

"When are we leaving?"

Right... Remus knew he forgot _something_. The three of them, along with the rest of the Weasleys plus Mitchelle, were to travel to the Romanian dragon sanctuary where the second eldest Weasley child worked. After that, Ashley and Mitchelle were spending a whole seven days staying at the Burrow. Both Sirius and Remus had wanted to complain but they didn't want to stop their Bambi from spending time and having fun with her friends just because they would miss her terribly. It was only one week after all, what was that compared to the rest of her life (not counting her six years left at Hogwarts)? She lived with them, and she would always come home to them.

"Not for a while longer. Have you got everything you need for the week?"

"Yep, all packed."

It had been a hassle to get everything ready but Ashley had managed. Her wardrobe size had increased drastically. She had more clothes that she could ever want, and they all were newly bought. She also had new glasses which resembled her past ones. This was all due to the minor accident she had while talking with her soul-bonded. She had let her secret slip about her transfigured hand-me-downs. That had inspired a very... _colorful_ rant from Sirius. Ashley had learnt many useful words that day, words that had unquestionably described the Dursleys and Dumbledore fully.

After his speech, Sirius had dragged her and Remus to Muggle London to shop, inviting Alyssa and Mitchelle to join them. Remus had attempted to reel Sirius in but the werewolf himself had wanted to spoil the Potter Heiress just as much. There was nothing she could have done to stop them though she hadn't really complained much, to be honest. She deeply appreciated their efforts of making up for the lost years. She also couldn't deny that she had fun on the trip. It was...comforting to do something so _simple_ for once.

Shopping with Alyssa and Mitchelle wasn't a new thing to Ashley. It had been an activity they'd enjoyed in the past. The case was, there was all so much excitement with their new world. It was overwhelming at times; Ashley hadn't _completely_ adjusted even though it seemed like it. After all those months, there were still so much of the unknown, and she didn't like not knowing. Granted that the domesticity of being with Sirius and Remus eased her heart and mind, but there were still days where she'd wonder what would have happened had she not made that one wish. Admittedly, she tended to think about a lot of 'what if's. However, she couldn't find it in herself to regret her actions. They led her to a life where she was wanted and loved. It was a pretty damn good upgrade from her life back in her old reality.

"Bambi, it's time to go!" Sirius called out, minutes after the afternoon meal.

"I'll be right there!" Ashley replied.

She shrunk her trunk, stuffing it into her trusty satchel, before glancing upwards at her bedroom's ceiling where her familiar was casually resting. Wordlessly, she waved her fingers and let her magic wrap around him. She caught him as he fell in his larger-than-usual form. They were going to be surrounded by family and friends; it was fine if Moko was visible. Neither individual, especially Ashley, would mind if the community found out she was a Parselmouth anyway. Well, as long as she wasn't featured on tabloids which would paint her in a bad light, which was highly unlikely. The Lovegoods were undoubtedly on her side and her deal with Rita included keeping her reputation pure and untainted.

With Moko lying across her shoulders imitating a scarf, Ashley made her way out of her room and down the stairs to the fireplace. She approached her soul-bonded and took hold of a handful of Floo powder. Floo was their only way of quick transportation since the sanctuary had anti-apparition wards erected around the area to fend off smugglers and hunters from getting in. Thus, the sanctuary's Floo channel was temporarily open for the scheduled visitors.

Remus was the first to step through the green fire. Ashley and Sirius followed closely. Stumbling through the other side, they brushed off the excess ashes on their clothing before observing their surroundings. They were in an office where Charlie stood waiting for them. There was also another man beside him who Ashley assumed was the head of the sanctuary. He introduced himself as Matthew and she had gotten his position right. He dismissed the lot of them with Charlie who led them outside to the rest of their company. Greetings were exchanged before a tour of the whole area was given. It was quite a long tour, the sanctuary was a _huge_ place, but it was so worth it. The children were awed by the different dragons that could be seen all around.

_I wonder where my little hatchling is..._

Speaking of which, there she was, Norberta, and she was no longer the little hatchling Ashley knew. Much, _much_ larger than the last time the Potter Heiress saw her, Norberta was almost the size of a full grown dragon of her species. Surely in a few weeks time she would be. Ashley all but ran to her, dragging Sirius and Remus along with her. Charlie would have stopped them if he hadn't known that they were the people the fussy dragon recognized as her family.

" _Mother, you're here!_ "

" _Well, I did promise that I'd visit again._ "

" _Yes, yes, I know! But I still missed you, mother..._ "

" _I missed you too, hatchling. I'm sorry I can't come as often as I want to._ "

" _Why can't I just go home with you and your mates?_ "

" _I-well..._ "

Ashley was pretty sure that sneaking a dragon home was highly illegal. Although, so was associating with the Dark Lord. Breaking laws certainly wasn't the problem. Sirius and Remus wouldn't mind. Well, they actually would, Remus more so than Sirius, but per Alyssa's words, they were wrapped around Ashley's little finger. They would do anything to keep her happy, and it helped that they were fond of her hatchling. Norberta's size could be easily fixed by a simple _Reducio_. But then there was the subject of her diet which consisted of large mammals and water-dwelling creatures. She could be fed fish but Ashley doubted she would like feeding on _just_ fish every day. It was better, safer, and healthier if Norberta stayed at the sanctuary. Plus, Ashley was bound to head back to Hogwarts and she couldn't let herself be caught with a dragon on school grounds.

She explained her reasoning with Norberta who grumbled but gave in. Ashley, Sirius, and Remus spent the rest of their given time with the dragon. The entirety of the group joined them since Norberta was, so far, the most domesticated in the sanctuary, even if she was a bit moody without her mother around. The other dragons still had tendencies to burn the keepers. Charlie didn't want to risk anyone's lives for their own amusement. Although near the end of their visit, he had allowed them to experience a hatching. The Golden Trio had already seen the event once but it was still undeniably remarkable.

Unfortunately, they had to leave after that. Charlie had to go back to work, along with Bill and Arthur. As painful as it was, Ashley separated from her soul-bonded and followed the Weasleys to their humble abode. The moment she came through the Floo, she felt someone grab her hand and pull. It was Alyssa, and she tugged her and Mitchelle outside the Burrow. Ashley gasped at the beautiful countryside that greeted her and hurriedly dug into her satchel for her camera. It was an item she never left home without, along with her wand, her charm bracelet, her mirror, her Gringotts pouch, and Moko, of course. She captured pictures of the grassy land visible beyond the boundaries of the Weasley home and turned to do the same with the actual house.

Even with the riches they had procured, the Weasleys stayed unpretentious. The Burrow still looked the exact same way except for the necessary rooms that had been added. Ashley hadn't seen those the last time she'd visited, nor had she been really paying attention, too caught up with celebrating Christmas, to actually notice the new renovations to the tower-like home. Molly and Arthur preferred to spend their money on their children instead of fixing something, their house in this case, that wasn't really broken. They loved their home as it was. And so, the only changes were that each of their children, except for the twins, now had their own rooms, even Bill and Charlie for when they came to stay (as rare as that was). Less than a dozen pictures later, Molly called the three girls back inside. She announced that, as expected, they would be sharing Alyssa's room together.

"Go ahead and get settled, dears. I'll call you down for dinner. In the meantime, why don't you have some brownies?"

Molly then offered a plate full of chocolate brownies that just smelled absolutely _divine_. Ashley nearly drooled and in the corner of her eyes, she took note of the twins' similar reactions mixed with a healthy dose of envy. It was highly reasonable. Molly wasn't one to boast but the twins were. They explicitly told the whole Gryffindor House that their mum's baking were the ambrosia of the gods. Ashley hadn't tasted the brownies yet but she was about ready to agree.

"Thank you, Aunt Molly." She thanked, seeing as her friends had already left her behind.

"You're very welcome. Run along now." Molly urged, before heading back into the kitchen.

"How come you get brownies?" The twins whined.

"I'm her favorite." Ashley jested.

"Fair enough, but you're our favorite too."

"And...?"

Fred and George pouted expectantly at the Potter Heiress, frequently glancing at the plate held between her hands. She giggled and conceded two brownies to their mute begging. They cheered and finally let her past, but not without giving her identical hugs. She happily accepted them and proceeded to search for her current sleeping quarters. She didn't actually know where Alyssa's room was but she figured the room with the most noise was it. She was right.

Upon entering, she froze at the sight that greeted her. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her friends to notice her presence. Once they did, they scrambled to hide the evidence of what they had been caught doing. They both smiled innocently, wearing different poses that Ashley figured were their attempt at acting normal.

"Were you using your mirrors to chat with your soul-bonded?" She deadpanned, making sure to keep her amusement at bay.

"No..." Mitchelle and Alyssa chorused, suddenly refusing to make eye contact with her.

" _Emergencies_ , I said." Ashley scolded half-heartedly.

"It _was_ an emergency!" Mitchelle defended.

"Really?" Ashley raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, no," Mitchelle backtracked, "but it's _convenient_!"

"You have _owls_." Ashley countered, letting her smile show so that her friends knew she hadn't been upset.

"Let's change the subject, shall we?"

"Oh alright, fine."

Ashley plopped down on the bed that was set up for her, placed on Alyssa's left near the door, and shed her satchel. She retrieved her trunk and flicked her wrist to enlarge it, levitating it to the end of her bed. She listened to the idle chatter in the room as she placed her charmed mirror on the nightstand and removed her boots. She brought her legs up on the mattress and found a comfortable way to sit, laying Moko down on her pillow, before joining her friends' conversation. They avoided the topics of anything related to their hidden agenda regarding Voldemort since they all knew they had no progress to talk about. They had already discussed their plans about gathering the Horcruxes but aside from that, they had nothing. The Tree of Life was still a mystery they hadn't yet solved.

Nobody could blame them. They literally had one book to rely on, and it held no specific instructions on how to find the bloody tree. Ashley had tried everything. She approached the goblins, she scanned through every single book in the Black library, and she had even sent a letter to Rita Skeeter to search for any useful information. In the end, Ashley came up with nothing. It was infuriating, to say the least, but what did she honestly expect? She was on the hunt for something that was considered a myth. _Of course_ it would be difficult.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The tapping noise echoed through the room and startled the three girls. Confused, they simultaneously gazed at its unanticipated source. A black-banded owl was perched on the windowsill, pecking incessantly at the glass pane. A moment of silence passed as the three girls decided who was going to face the owl and get the letter. Ashley volunteered and stood up, hesitantly making her way to the window.

"Were...any of you expecting letters?"

"Not me."

"Not that I know of, no."

"Then who the hell...?"

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The owl seemed to glare at Ashley as it impatiently waited for the window to be opened. She blinked and slowly complied, taking the parchment from the owl's beak. Then, an odd thing happened. The owl hissed at Ashley, _hissed_ , and flapped its wings in an irritated manner. She swore she had just been insulted. Wide-eyed, she apologized for keeping the owl waiting. It hissed one last time before flying away and leaving her flabbergasted.

"Did... Did that owl just hiss?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so."

"...What does the letter say?"

"I don't know, let's find out."

Ashley unfolded the piece of parchment paper as she settled on Alyssa's bed, squished in-between the redhead and Mitchelle. Ashley let her eyes wander over the words as her friends read over her shoulders.

**_Potter,_ **

**_Diagon Alley, 12:00 noon, tomorrow. It's time we discuss things._ **

\- **_T.R_**

Well, Ashley certainly hadn't expected _that_. She wasn't stupid, she knew who T.R was. But why would the Dark Lord want to talk to her? That...was a dumb question, she knew exactly why. Voldemort probably wanted an update on how her plans were going. Her answer would be that it was...going. Alyssa and Mitchelle proposed that they should accompany her but she declined. It would be a hassle if all three of them went. Also, Molly would notice. It was better if Ashley went by herself. She could apparate away if it was a trap. She'd been practicing a lot back at the mansion since apparition was needed. She wasn't the best at it, there was a big chance she would splinch herself, but she was willing to take her chances. It wasn't likely that Voldemort would hurt her, not that much, at least.

Well, it seemed like a trip to Diagon Alley was in order.


	2. Tom Marvolo Riddle

Ashley sat cross-legged on her bed, leaning against a bundle of pillows with Moko lounging beside her as his _Engorgio_ 'd self. She had her mirror laid out in front of her as she whipped out her wand to duplicate it. In about an hour or so, she would be meeting with the Dark Lord who, hopefully, would look less like the snake-faced parasite she first saw. He would need a mirror to communicate with if they were to work together. She didn't want Dumbledore knowing anything if he were to suddenly go through her mail. Also, she had no desire to have another encounter with the owl Voldemort sent. That owl had to be a transfigured snake. If not, Ashley would be very worried where Voldemort found the creature. It was odd, and it was creepy, and she was completely fine with never having to see it ever again. She usually loved animals, that was a given, but that owl was too much.

After casting the spell, she grabbed the duplicate mirror and altered its gem into a vibrant emerald. It was perfect for Voldemort, the proud Slytherin that he was. And of course, the gem held meaning which matched its designated owner. As far as Ashley knew (though she really didn't know much), emeralds represented rebirth and intelligence. Didn't those two words describe Voldemort as a whole? Ashley thought so.

She stuffed the mirror into her satchel alongside her wand and slung the bag over her shoulder while pocketing her own mirror. She ignored the urge to double-check if she had everything she needed. She'd already done that more times than necessary earlier on. She stood to her feet and turned to face Moko who was gazing up expectantly at her.

" _Are you sure you want to come with?_ " She asked, leaning down to his height.

" _Of course!_ " He exclaimed, " _For all we know, Voldemort is planning to trick you, or worse! What kind of familiar would I be if I didn't protect you, little one?_ "

" _Alright, let's go then. I don't think he'll appreciate it if I'm late._ " Ashley giggled.

With a flick of her wrist, Moko was once again travel-sized. He slithered up her outstretched arm and resumed his typical position wrapped around her neck. She adjusted her satchel's strap on her shoulder and walked out the room. On her way down the stairs, Fred and George appeared to accompany her. Flanked by the two pranksters, she made her way to the fireplace. Pausing in front of it, she took a glance out the nearest window. Molly was outside with Mitchelle who was helping her feed the chickens. See, the twins and Mitchelle were tasked with keeping Molly from noticing Ashley's disappearance. Alyssa was currently missing in action due to the fact that she was at the Malfoy Manor. The whole Weasley family, with Ashley and Mitchelle per Alyssa's (and consequently, Draco's) request, had been invited over for brunch. Lucius and Narcissa had only allowed Alyssa to stay, seeing as she was their only son's soul-bonded.

Thinking of the Malfoys reminded Ashley of a certain house-elf who was nowhere to be found. In all honesty, where the bloody hell was Dobby? Draco admitted that didn't know who Dobby was, and apparently, neither did his parents. It was a little disconcerting. Ashley was aware of the minor changes brought about by her and her friends' sudden arrival into the magical world but she didn't think that something so significant would be affected. Although, maybe it was for the best that Dobby wasn't the Malfoys' house-elf. Ashley could only hope that he was bound under kinder masters, those who wouldn't see him as just a lowly creature. He didn't deserve being treated as such, no living creature did. Ashley was very firm on that belief. She'd gone through the pain of life as a lesser being than those who claimed supremacy and she would never wish it upon any pure soul. Those against her, well, they were a completely different matter.

"Nothing to worry about, little raven." Fred assured, shaking her out of her stupor.

"We'll keep mum distracted." George grinned.

His and his brother's eyes shone brightly with mischief, so much that Ashley almost felt bad for the Weasley matriarch. The Potter Heiress, herself, had never been the target of the twins' shenanigans but she was well aware of their exasperating effects. Though, she figured Molly was used to all of it by now but then again, the twins always had new pranks and new inventions to try out. They'd even hinted that they wanted to try out their indoor fireworks for future reference. Ashley had gotten a kick out of that as she vividly remembered Harry's O.W.L.s and she had a feeling that scene was exactly what they were indicating.

They wished her luck and ushered her in front of the fireplace. This gave her the confidence she needed in order to continue on with her plans. Fred and George wouldn't let her go alone if they knew she would be in any apparent danger. They wouldn't let her go at all, actually. So, their casualty with the situation deeply guaranteed her safety. But just as they were about to cast a glamour over her to keep her identity concealed while on her trip, Molly walked in with a slightly panicked Mitchelle.

"Ashley, you seem like you're going somewhere." Molly noticed in confusion.

"Siri and Remy sent a letter," Ashley replied without missing a beat, "they said it was urgent. Knowing them though, they're probably just missing me."

"Oh, those two... Well, be back before supper, dear." Molly smiled.

Ashley nodded with a smile of her own and eyed the woman's form until she was out of sight, soon followed by an apologetic Mitchelle. Once Ashley was sure that her position was out of their hearing range, she motioned the twins to place the glamour over her. In less than a second, her hair turned brown and so did her eyes. Her scar and eyeglasses both vanished off her face. In her place, what could be seen to untrained eyes, was a woman with the aristocratic features of a pure-blood. Casting _Tempus_ , she groaned at the golden 12:05. She hurriedly grabbed a pinch of Floo powder and flashed to the Leaky Cauldron.

She arrived at the pub through the green fire, attracting attention for only a short moment. She sighed in relief and brushed the ashes off the robes she wore to further consolidate her disguise. She was thankful Molly hadn't commented on her curious choice of clothing for the day. Feeling the stares of a few patrons, the Potter Heiress straightened her posture and held her head up high, putting on a mask of cold indifference. Folding her hands in front of her, she glided through the pub's back entrance and to the streets of Diagon Alley. However, she froze upon realizing that Voldemort hadn't specified _exactly_ where they would meet so she settled for wandering around aimlessly until she eventually bumped into the Dark Lord.

"You're _late_."

Ashley refused to acknowledge that she did, in fact, let out a tiny squeak when the unexpected voice spoke up as she passed by the twisting alleyway that led to Knockturn Alley. Her head snapped to the side and she was greeted by blood red irises glowing through half-lidded eyes within the dark setting. The figure, a tall man, was casually leaning against the wall of the alleyway, detached from the roaming crowds of shoppers. He moved away from the wall and stepped into the light, revealing himself to Ashley. It was Voldemort-no... It was _Tom Marvolo Riddle_ standing there, donned in the proper attire for his title of Lord Gaunt-Slytherin. He looked every bit the handsome young wizard he had been before he split his soul multiple times. Well, maybe a bit more mature than that time. Tom presented himself as if he was in his early to mid-twenties rather than sixteen (or sixty-five like he really was).

"You're... _you_!" Ashley breathed out.

She didn't question how Tom was able to see through her glamour. It was a fairly weak one, though strong enough for the general population.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." Tom rolled his eyes.

He held his hands behind his back like a stern professor would while lecturing students. He tilted his head off to one side and strolled towards the same direction. Ashley trailed after him and matched his quick, purposeful pace. The odd thing was that everyone seemed to completely over look them. Tom walked with an aura that exuded significantly restored power; it was hard not to notice. It was probably a repelling charm he cast. He didn't need, nor want, the publicity yet. He was definitely strong again, although not as much as he would be with his soul intact. Still, he was almost himself again. He'd be whole as soon as Ashley found that bloody fucking tree. He would be alright in the meantime.

"Where are we going?"

Tom spared Ashley a single glance but nothing more. He refused to give an answer, letting silence (ignoring the noise of their surroundings) wash over them. Ashley thought about asking what had happened to Quirrell but she figured Tom would only snap at her for not using her common sense. Quirrell had already been on the verge of dying so naturally, without Tom's magic to keep him alive, the ex-DADA professor had perished.

Ashley followed Tom until they reached Fortescue's. Well, she hadn't expected their talk to take place somewhere as bright as an ice cream parlor. She honestly thought that they'd be heading into Knockturn Alley but that thought had been thrown out the moment they walked away from the alleyway. She wasn't complaining though, even more so when Tom graciously bought themselves ice cream. However, when they found a secluded table near a corner of the shop, a stranger caught the Slytherin Lord's attention.

The stranger wore the plain robes of an average wizard. He had messy midnight black hair, which vaguely reminded Ashley of Harry (and herself, obviously), but the man's eyes were a dull blue instead of her own Killing Curse green. There was nothing particularly special about him, nothing overly familiar either. At least, to Ashley there wasn't. The new company meant nothing to her but it was a whole other story for Tom. Curiously, she watched the emotions fleeting through his face. There was a spark of recognition, but only for a moment, matched with...hope, was it? Then, there was disappointment and sorrow. Tom's eyes turned distant and pained, as if reliving a horrible memory. But there was something else present... Ashley couldn't quite put her finger on it. Just who exactly was the man to have extracted such a reaction from the Dark Lord?

"Do you...know that man?" Ashley couldn't help but ask.

"No. And even if I did, it's none of your concern, now is it?" Tom snarled.

"I... You're right. I'm sorry." Ashley apologized sincerely.

_Maybe the guy just looks like someone he knew... Someone important to him, if I have to make a guess._

Ashley let it go and sat still, waiting for Tom to stop repeatedly glancing at the oblivious man. The Slytherin Heir wasn't exactly as subtle as he seemed. Once the stranger was gone, all was back to normal. Or, well, as normal as things could be with the Chosen One having ice cream with the Dark Lord she was supposedly meant to vanquish.

"How is your little quest fairing?" Tom asked, casting a silencing ward around them beforehand.

"Oh, that. Well, we found a ritual that could work but we're having problems with the needed potion."

"What is it?"

"It's called the Elixir of Restoration."

"...I've never heard of that."

"Neither have we. It requires a certain ingredient we have absolutely no _idea_ where to find."

"Haven't you tried asking Severus for help?"

"We have, and he agreed to brew it for us, but he doesn't know where to find the ingredient either."

"Perhaps I can find it."

"Alright, we need a leaf from the Tree of Life, whatever that is."

Tom's curious look changed into one of aggravation.

"...Judging from your reaction, you can't find it."

"No one ever has. It's a myth."

"I don't think it is. No worries, we're working on it. Enough about that, what are _your_ plans?"

"And why should I tell you?"

"Because we're on the same side," Ashley countered, "and I could possibly help you."

Tom raised both his eyebrows at that and gazed at her thoughtfully, seemingly considering the idea.

"It's time to gather my followers." He eventually announced.

Ashley knew what that meant. An Azkaban breakout was on the horizon. The Lestranges, amongst other incarcerated Death Eaters, would be released onto the world to wreck havoc once more. Ashley was fine with that as long as Tom kept them on a tight leash; _especially_ Bellatrix (though keeping her alive was still undecided). But if they were going to Azkaban, Ashley would finally be given the chance to... _visit_ her aunt and uncle there. Vernon and Petunia hadn't been sentenced to receive a Dementor's Kiss. They deserved worse punishment, punishment Ashley was generously willing to administer.

"I want in."

"No."

"I wasn't asking for permission. So, when is it?"

"Not yet."

"Alright... In the meantime, you should probably alert the other Death Eaters you're still alive."

"I don't take orders from a child...but I suppose I should do that."

Ashley smirked as Tom begrudgingly agreed with her. She leaned back in her seat and crossed her leg over the other, tilting her head mockingly.

"You know, you're not as bad as they say."

"I'm a Dark Lord who has terrorized, tortured, and murdered countless of wizards and witches. Should I remind you that list includes your parents?"

"I know that. But my point is, you _can_ be nice on occasion."

Tom looked genuinely offended at the compliment. He opened his mouth to protest but Ashley raised her ice cream cone in retaliation. That succeeded in shutting him up, and he would deny it until the day he died, but he was definitely sporting a little pout. The two Hogwarts Heirs dabbled in a short chat. Ashley learned that Tom had been staying at the Gaunt Shack with Nagini while he built up his strength. He, on the other hand, took the opportunity to find out Ashley's reason as to why she wanted to come along to Azkaban. For a solid moment, they had an understanding when she related her mistreatment at the hands of her relatives. She knew that he had experienced the same torment when he was still young and living at the orphanage.

"Here, take this." She said as she was about to leave.

She dug through her satchel and pulled out Tom's mirror, offering him the charmed artifact. She acknowledged his confusion and explained the mirror's usage. She preened at the slightly impressed look he gave as he accepted the mirror.

"Well, I'm off. Goodbye, Tom."

"Do not address me by that _ghastly_ Muggle name."

"It's still your name though, and it's shorter than Voldemort. What, do you want me to call you Voldy?"

"You are an infuriating little brat."

"And you're too easy to provoke, _Tom_."

Ashley knew she was playing with fire, but what else was new? Attending the proposed meeting was already a huge risk, so why not take it all the way? Ashley decided to ignore the conscious voice in her mind that warned her about her recklessness (that sounded suspiciously like Remus) and focused on Tom instead.

"Fine then, but call me Voldy ever again and I'll _Crucio_ you until you can no longer move."

_Hm, might be a good way to test if I'm immune to that or not..._

"Duly noted."

Ashley smiled sweetly and turned towards the exit. She glanced back and raised a questioning eyebrow at Tom who left his seat in favor of standing beside her. She shrugged it off and they left the ice cream parlor together, heading for opposite routes once outside. Ashley was nearing the back entrance of Leaky Cauldron, only a few feet away, when Moko took notice of something.

" _Little one, you might want to look over to the right._ "

" _What-?_ "

_Are those...? Shit!_

Ashley froze in her steps and felt her eyes widen. Through the passing crowds, she spotted the mop of black hair that belonged to one Sirius Black. Accompanying him was her other soul-bonded. She snapped out of her shocked daze and dove behind a huddled group of wizards just as the two men glanced in her direction.

 _Of all the days, they choose_ today _to go on a date? Oh, for Merlin's sake!_

Her options? If she was to avoid Sirius and Remus and apparate herself, she was most likely going to get splinched. But if she was to choose to take the Floo, she had to pass by her two soul-bonded and risk getting caught by them. What would be her excuse then? She couldn't very well say she met up with Voldemort! They'd lock her in the mansion for the rest of her life to keep her safe. She couldn't let them see her. She had to be cautious.

" _Moko, I want you to watch them. Tell me when they both leave, or just Remus._ " She requested quietly, pretending to window-shop.

Remus was her utmost concern, what, with the full moon approaching. As a werewolf, he naturally had enhanced senses which intensified more when it was that time of the month. If anyone would be able to recognize Ashley even with her glamour, it would be him. Moony had her scent memorized; he'd know she was his cub. Sirius, as a dog Animagus, could probably sniff her out as well. but she hoped that when she passed by him, her scent would mingle with the people around them.

" _Remus is gone!_ "

Ashley took a deep breath and squared her shoulders before continuing on towards the Leaky before she was interrupted. She kept her gaze trained forward while Moko slipped underneath her robes. Just as she was on the edge of victory, a child ran by, bumping into her in the process. She tumbled off to the side and she expected to hit the ground but instead, she was saved by two strong, incredibly familiar arms.

"Are you alright?" Sirius asked, concern pooling in his bright grey eyes.

_Fuck, fuck... No, I'm not, thanks for asking._

Ashley definitely did not get lost in his eyes, no matter how much Moko insisted she did. She ignored the comforting warmth in her chest and thanked Sirius before pulling away and straightening out her robes. This action unfortunately caused the Animagus to catch sight of her satchel. He stared at it with narrowed eyes, which made her fight the urge to fidget.

"Staring's quite rude, you know." She commented, concealing her nerves well.

"My apologies... It's just that, your satchel looks like the one my Bambi has."

Ashley was beginning to regret bringing along her satchel. It was one of a kind and easy to recognize because its flap had a large 'A' stitched onto it, courtesy of Mitchelle. Ashley internally groaned and decided that the best course of action was to distract Sirius by drifting the talk away from the satchel and to herself. He was always so proud to talk about his pup.

"Bambi...? Is she your daughter?"

"No, but well... She's mine, and she means the world to me and my mate."

Alright, Ashley may or may not have had internally swooned at that. She reveled at the notion of belonging to her soul-bonded, even if it wasn't in the way she wanted yet. It wasn't like she could do anything. She was eleven and very much underage, despite the fact that she was mentally nineteen. She wasn't allowing herself to change the nature of her relationship with Sirius and Remus until she was old enough. And that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"That's very sweet," Ashley crooned, "but I'm afraid I really must go."

Remus was bound to return from wherever he went so she excused herself and glided past Sirius. She quickened her pace as soon as she was far enough away from him. She slid through the brick entrance and hurried over to the fireplace, traveling back to the Burrow. Mitchelle was waiting for her on the other side, ready to hear the news of the meeting.

"You look relieved." The Hufflepuff observed.

"I ran into Sirius and Remus." Ashley huffed.

" _Oh_."

"Did they figure out it was you?"

"No, they didn't."

At least, Ashley _hoped_ they hadn't. She sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she waved her hand to cancel the twins' glamour. The stress of her unanticipated encounter with her soul-bonded had made her tense and a tad bit uncomfortable. Mitchelle, being the good friend that she was, nudged her and demanded that she go rest. Ashley thanked the Hufflepuff, promising that she'd tell her everything later on. Ashley proceeded to their shared bedroom and laid her satchel on the lid of her trunk. She fell face-first on her bed and settled in for a nap, not bothering to get under the covers or change out of her robes. Moko slithered out and curled beside her head, preparing to sleep himself. The Potter Heiress shut her eyes and let the darkness take over, unaware that back in Diagon Alley, Remus was wondering why his mate smelled roughly of their cub's scent.


	3. Follow the Path

Ashley would be lying if she claimed that she had a good night’s rest. She had slept just fine for about two hours or so but then, her peaceful slumber was interrupted by a tremendously odd dream. She dreamt that she was lost within a forest of trees which held no familiarity whatsoever. The leaves of each tree varied in color but they all shined like crystals under the sun (or the moon since it was nighttime). Wisps of magic weaved through the area with no specific direction. It was all beautiful, yes, but Ashley felt too confused to admire it all.

She attempted to find her way out but she somehow couldn’t. She kept making her way back to where she began. When she was nearing the point of giving up, a serpent-like creature resembling the wispy form of a Patronus appeared. She was inclined to follow it, and so she did. The creature led her to the very center of the grove where a gigantic tree stood. It was the Tree of Life, she was sure. The shimmering silver leaves gave its identity away. Ashley didn’t know how, but she felt how much power the tree emanated. It was _pure_ , and _light_ , and… It was simply breathtaking.

Then, a single leaf detached from the rest. It slowly floated downwards with an air of elegance. It glowed brightly upon immediate contact with the ground. It grew bigger and morphed into a woman. Actually, calling her a woman was the understatement of the century. She was like the living personification of a goddess! Her body was _literally_ made of light! Her lavender hair fell into neat curls all the way down to her hips, complementing the deep purple cloth that hugged her body and flaunted her every curve. As far as Ashley could see, the goddess had no facial features but she was still so divinely beautiful.

****“Our dearest Chosen One, follow the path and you shall find what you seek.”** **

The goddess’ voice came out as a soft whisper but it had no difficulty in reaching Ashley. It was curious though that the goddess seemed to be talking alongside three other people. Her answer had the underlying voices of a man and two other women. She had also used the term ‘our’ instead of ‘my’ when referring to Ashley. The confused Potter Heiress asked what she meant by that but her own voice refused to work with her. As Ashley simmered in silent frustration, her surroundings faded away into darkness.

She woke up abruptly with questions running around in her head and her magic acting restless. She couldn’t find it in herself to go back to sleep and she didn’t want to bother her friends or her familiar who were still fast asleep. Instead, she left their shared bedroom and sat in the kitchen in a daze after going through her daily morning routine, a daze she only left once Molly came down to cook breakfast. Ashley willingly helped her with the preparations, all the while recollecting the events of her dream.

“Ashley, dear, could you go wake up them up please?”

“Of course, Aunt Molly.”

Ashley headed up the stairs and went for the farthest bedroom first to get help with the others, which just happened to be Ginny’s. Ashley knocked on the door and called for the youngest Weasley. A few minutes later, a drowsy Ginny answered sporting a bird’s nest for hair. Giggling, Ashley told her that breakfast was almost ready and requested she help with gathering her siblings. Ginny agreed and went to wake Percy while Ashley checked on her friends. Alyssa and Mitchelle were thankfully already up and so was Moko who resumed his position around the raven-haired girl’s neck. Only Fred and George were left.

Ashley proceeded to their bedroom and knocked once, twice when she got no response. Eventually, she decided to go in and cautiously pushed the door open. She peeked in and saw the sprawled messes the twins were on their respective beds. She snickered and stepped inside, approaching Fred first.

“I know you’re not asleep.” She mused.

Tapping her foot impatiently, she crossed her arms and waited for the ginger to stop pretending. He didn’t, which made her result to violence. She grabbed a stray pillow and went to hit him directly on his face when he opened one eye and smirked at something behind her. Before she could react, arms suddenly wrapped around her and lifted her up, depositing her in Fred’s open embrace. She heard George’s infectious laugh and felt the mattress dip behind her where he settled down.

“Good morning, little raven.” They grinned mischievously.

“Good morning, now let me up.” Ashley giggled.

“No, we’re quite comfortable here.”

“See, this is why your sister accuses me of flirting with you and vice versa.”

Both twins shrugged and cuddled closer to the trapped Ashley, having no care for the possible consequences of being caught together. Moko was too amused to even bother helping.

“Let me up before either Alyssa or Mitch sees and rats me out to Sirius and Remus. They’ll go ballistic on the two of you.”

It was true. Ashley knew of her soul-bonded’s protectiveness when it came to her. She didn’t really mind, it showed that they cared for her, but she worried for the twins’ safety. Sirius had the tendency to lash out due to his inherited Black madness, and Moony had a few anger issues. They didn’t appreciate their Bambi being close with other men that weren’t them. She prevented herself from thinking about how they would react when their bond was revealed. That train always led her to a dark and insecure place, knowing that they were stubborn and wouldn’t accept the fact easily.

Fred and George pouted but, nevertheless, released their hold on her. The three of them separated and got to their feet just in the nick of time. Alyssa passed by the open doorway with Mitchelle, but not without giving the trio a suspicious glare which the twins returned with innocent smiles. Ashley nudged the two gingers flanking her sides and trailed after her best friends to the kitchen.

The Burrow’s residents gathered around the dining table as Molly set the breakfast. Ashley sat between Alyssa and Mitchelle, much to the twins’ dismay. Arthur arrived from work to join them but before they could start on their meal, the Weasleys’ post owl, Errol, swept in. Well, more like _crashed_ in. Thankfully, Ashley had snatched the plate of bacon from underneath the owl before he landed. Sighing, Molly reached over and took the letters he had brought with him.

“It’s your Hogwarts letters.” She happily announced, handing each one to their respective owners.

Ginny enthusiastically accepted hers and ripped it open, quickly reading through it and showing it off to her siblings. With the absence of her crush on Harry, she was significantly more social around Ashley. The youngest Weasley, unlike her previous version, also had quite the close relationship with Percy. Now, there was no such thing as sibling rivalry within the Weasleys because all of them really couldn’t care less. However, there was such a thing as favoritism, or simply whoever got along the best with each other. Obviously, there was Ginny and Percy, then the two eldest, and Fred, George, and Alyssa bonded over dark humor and tormenting deserving individuals with pranks.

“Everyone get dressed, we’re going to Diagon Alley.” Molly said, ushering her family out of the kitchen.

“Ashley, Mitch, would you like to come with us or would you prefer to go another time?” She continued, addressing her pseudo-daughters.

After a moment’s consideration, both girls agreed to come with but Ashley didn’t plan on buying anything. She hadn’t received her letter, and neither did Mitchelle. Obviously, their letters were sent to their guardians. Also, Ashley had promised her soul-bonded that they would be the ones to take her shopping for her school necessities. She didn’t want to disappoint them. She was supposed to go home soon anyway, just a few more hours with the Weasleys. Sirius and Remus would most likely take her to Diagon Alley the next day.

Since she was the only one ready for the trip, she dispersed from the others and headed outside near the back of the house. She plopped down on the grass with her back leaning against the trunk of a tree. She unwrapped Moko from her neck and flicked her wrist, conjuring a small mouse for him. She let both creatures go, knowing that her familiar adored the thrill of the chase just like any predator would. She watched Moko slither out of sight and retrieved her mirror from her, contacting the Marauders that weren’t in the immediate vicinity. The glass rippled and one by one, her friends’ faces materialized. Oddly enough though, Alexandra was unavailable.

Enlarging the mirror, Ashley was quick to explain her reason of calling. The dream she had, she was sure it had been a sort of guidance towards her goal of finding the Tree of Life. But the woman, the goddess, hadn’t really said anything specifically helpful. Follow the path… What path, exactly? Ashley hadn’t been given any clue or hint that she could have made use of. Her friends were clueless as well, never having heard of a person made out of light before. It was such a bizarre idea, even for those raised around magic their whole lives.

“Ash? We’re leaving, c’mon!” Alyssa hollered.

Ashley sent a thumbs-up and turned back to the mirror, promising that she would update the whole group soon when she figured out what the goddess meant. Agreeing to research all they could, the Marauders’ faces faded back into Ashley’s reflection. She pocketed the mirror and got up, brushing the dirt from her pants. She bent down to pick Moko up who was sated from his meal, gently laying him across her shoulders. He wouldn’t fall off even in his drowsy state, she was well aware that his scales could stick to just about any surface (including skin).

She strode back inside the house and _Accio_ ’d her satchel. She had a feeling it would come in handy, although she didn’t know for what. She checked it to make sure she had her things and lined with the others to use the Floo. They arrived at the Leaky Cauldron and entered the magical shopping district of England. As Molly read through the items on each of her children’s lists of school supplies, they were greeted by an unexpected party.

The Malfoys, as composed and sophisticated as ever, approached them with smiles. Well, at least Narcissa and Draco did. Lucius looked like he’d rather be somewhere else. When Narcissa claimed that the Weasleys were welcome to join their shopping, he was ready to protest. One sharp glare from his wife was all it took for him to wisely shut his mouth and keep his thoughts to himself, less he felt the wrath of a descendant of the House of Black. It was an amusing sight to witness. Ashley noticed, though, that the Malfoy Lord kept glancing at her with an unspoken question in his eyes.

Nearly an hour later, all that was left to purchase were the yearly required books. Flourish and Blotts was completely and utterly packed. Ashley wondered why for a moment before she saw the posters plastered on the window. Presented on each one was the smug, punchable face of Gilderoy Lockhart, the great pretender, a little ways below Dumbledore. Ashley had forgotten that the future DADA professor’s book signing was on that day.

_Oh, for Merlin’s sake…_

She grimaced upon seeing Molly and Ginny’s mesmerized expressions. However, everyone else seemed to share Ashley’s sentiment towards Lockhart, especially those who were aware of his faux adventures. Molly dragged the whole company inside the bookshop and squeezed through to get them to the front. Ashley chose to stay behind, not wanting Lockhart to spot her amongst the crowd. She was fortunately hidden well behind the tall line of his fans. She had just sent a smirk to a silently pleading Alyssa when a hand dropped to rest on her shoulder, spooking both her and her familiar.

“Heiress Potter, may I speak with you outside?” Lucius asked, his expression a passive scowl.

Despite her confusion, Ashley nodded and followed the tense man out of the shop. Aware of the stares they garnered, he led her away from any densely populated area. Once they were secluded, Lucius dug beneath his robes and cautiously pulled out a journal. Now, it was certainly no ordinary journal. Ashley quickly recognized it as Tom’s diary, the very first Horcrux he ever made. She made to take it from Lucius but he moved it out of her reach.

“Why would he trust _you_ , of all people, with this artifact?” He sneered.

“As hard as it is to believe, I’m truly on your side. After all, I am destined to be his equal.” She smirked slyly.

She wiggled her fingers and in a split second, the diary was in her hand. She ignored the Death Eater’s impressed look as her scar warmed up upon contact with the diary, the Horcrux within her reacting to being reunited with a huge part of its soul. But no, there wasn’t just one soul piece. Ashley felt another, a smaller one but only by a little. What else could it have been rather than Marvolo Gaunt’s ring? Tom was hiding out at the Gaunt Shack with Nagini (or had been, he may have had moved in with the Malfoys by then), right where the ring had been hidden. It was common sense, really. And with the ring and diary both in her possession, those were two less Horcruxes to gather and another Deathly Hallow to add to her collection.

_Only one Hallow to go, though I’m sure I won’t be getting the Elder Wand any time soon._

“His equal... That must be why we’ve all been instructed that no harm must come to you, or your followers.”

“My friends, you mean, one of them being your son.”

Suspicion and caution, intermixed, swam in Lucius’ eyes. Ashley sighed in exasperation but she couldn’t blame him. Her part in the game was to play as Dumbledore’s pawn and lead the light side to victory. Yet there she was, conspiring against Dumbledore and acting as the aid for the dark side to take over. But was there really dark and light when it came to magic? Ashley had been born with a dark core but that didn’t automatically make her evil. Of course, she would never accuse herself of being sane or outright good, but she wasn’t evil. That she was sure of. Those she longed to destroy deserved all that was coming to them.

“If you want further explanation, it’s quite simple really. I want Dumbledore to _suffer_ , to feel as much pain as we can offer. Voldemort’s also the better option, and I genuinely do want to help him.”

Ashley shrugged nonchalantly, packing the Horcruxes into her satchel. It was a good thing she’d brought the bag with her. She could have had shrunk the diary and placed the Horcruxes in her pocket but that would have been unsafe. Not unlike all her luggage, her satchel had permanent protective charms which only allowed her to use it. If anyone tried to open it, they would find it empty and useless.

“Do stay away from Dumbledore. We don’t need him getting in your head and finding out I’m not under his compulsions.”

“Compulsions…?”

“It’s a long story.”

They didn’t have all the time in the world. If Lucius was really curious about the topic, then Ashley would give him answers some other day. But right now, they had to go back before the Weasleys (namely Molly, Arthur, Percy, and Ginny) noticed their absence.

“…Wait.”

“Yes?”

“What of my son?”

“He’s aware of what’s happening, and he’s alright with it all. He chooses to stand with his soul-bonded.”

“Will he have to take the Mark?”

“Not unless he wants to. My friends work with me and not under the Dark Lord. I’ll do my very best to keep them all safe.”

Ashley had to answer softly. Lucius’ fatherly concern was present over his only son and it made something in her heart ache. It was probably the large part that craved her parents dearly. She ignored the dull pain and headed back to Flourish and Blotts. She was met halfway by Mitchelle and Alyssa who blinked at Lucius when he passed by.

“Did he give you the diary?” Mitchelle quizzed.

“And the ring, yeah. Tom told him to.” Ashley answered truthfully, patting her satchel.

“We better increase our efforts in finding that damned tree then. He’ll be expecting that we have at least some clue on where it is.” Alyssa frowned, looking thoughtful.

“We kind of have one? Not really though… Last night-”

Off Ashley went, relaying her dream to the two girls who listened with rapt attention. They discussed the possible meanings but all they came up with was that maybe there was more to the dream. Ashley didn’t think so but she agreed to inform them if the goddess visited her sleep again. Before they could chat any further, Molly rounded them up to return to the Burrow. Not long after, Ashley was home, back at the Marauder Mansion.

“Mistress, you’re home!” Kreacher greeted happily.

“Hello, Kreacher. Where’s Siri and Remy?”

“The Masters are in their bedroom, Mistress. Would you like some tea?”

“That’d be nice. Thank you, Kreacher.”

“Mistress Ashley is much kinder than Master Sirius, just as kind as Master Regulus was to Kreacher…”

Hearing the underlying sadness in the house-elf’s voice, Ashley kneeled down and hugged the poor creature. She hoped Sirius hadn’t said anything mean to the house-elf whilst she was away. She would hate to pretend to be mad at the Animagus to teach him a lesson again, though it was a bit funny when he would begin to panic. She’d done it before when he heard Kreacher mutter something about his mother under his breath. Sirius had blown a fuse and shouted at Kreacher. Ashley understood his temper regarding the pain of his past but in no way was it appropriate to take his anger out on someone else.

_Right then, time to find those two._

Having arrived earlier than expected, Ashley wanted to surprise her soul-bonded. So, she crept up the stairs, careful not to make any sort of noise that would alert the men she was searching for. When she came upon their room, she heard nothing from inside. She thought they had fallen asleep but then, her magic sensed strong charms in the air and instinctively cancelled them. Not a moment later, heavy breathing and low moans filled the silence. Ashley froze in her spot, her face turning several shades of red. She stared at the closed door with wide eyes as Moko raised his head in interest, listening in to the slightly muffled conversation.

“How does that feel? Good?” That was Sirius.

“So good, Sirius… Fuck…” And that was Remus, sounding every bit as desperate and ravished as he probably felt.

“Yeah? Tell me what you want.”

A strangled groan rang out.

“Use your words, Remus.”

“Please, fuck me… _Please_ , Sirius…”

“So needy… And you beg so beautifully.”

Remus’ answering growl of frustration sent a shiver down Ashley’s spine.

“Alright, I’ll give you what you need. You ready for me, darling?”

_And on that note, I think it’s time to go._

Blushing madly, Ashley recast the silencing ward around the room. She swiftly turned and left, retreating to her own quarters. She all but dropped onto her bed, putting a hand to her chest to calm her pounding heart. Fortunately, Kreacher arrived in time with her tea. She thanked and dismissed him, the drink successfully setting her heartbeat back to a normal pace. She sat with her legs crossed at the end of her mattress, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to get rid of the images flooding her head.

_This is what I get for having a vivid imagination…_

“ _What are you so embarrassed about? They were mating. That is a natural thing, especially for a werewolf, is it not?_ ”

“ _It is, but that’s a private moment between the two of them. We really weren’t supposed to hear any of that._ ”

“ _But you are their mate. It is inevitable that you would join them once you are fully grown._ ”

“ _W-well, yeah, but they don’t know I’m their mate. And I won’t be fully grown for a long time, it’ll be difficult for them to see me as more than their brother-by-heart’s only daughter._ ”

“ _Ah, so you are content with playing that role until the time is right. I see._ ”

Wanting to take her mind of things, Ashley began to unpack after finishing her tea, leaving Moko resting on the bed. She took her trunk from within her satchel and enlarged it, placing it at the foot of her bed. She didn’t bother using her magic to place her clothes in her dresser. It was a simple task and the longer she took, the less time she had to think about inappropriate scenarios.

When she was done, she decided to take a proper look at the Horcruxes she had received. She wasn’t actually tempted to use any of the artifacts. The diary was simply a way to communicate with a sixteen year old Tom. If Ashley truly wanted to talk to him, she would use her mirror or pester him with letters. And she definitely wasn’t willing to die by a cursed ring. That would be a pathetic way to meet her demise after all the hard work she’d done.

Tom had given her the Horcruxes within his reach, which was a sure sign that he wanted her to perform the ritual as soon as possible. How the bloody hell was she supposed to do that with the Tree of Life still nowhere to be found? Sighing, she summoned the book of myths and legends and scanned through it. Maybe she had missed something? Highly unlikely but there was a small chance that she did. She didn’t expect the book to burn her hands all of a sudden. Yelping, she dropped the book on the floor. The pages flipped themselves until the end of the book was reached. There, a single sentence was written.

“‘X’ marks the spot? What…?”

Much to Ashley’s surprise, the letters scattered and changed shape to form a pentagram with an ‘X’ right in the middle. Underneath the symbol, another sentence appeared, relaying the words ‘follow the path’. Ashley slowly reached down and picked the book up, narrowing her eyes at the symbol that she was pretty sure had never been there before.

_Well… Guess that’s the hint I was looking for._


	4. The Truth

Ashley had woken up the moment she heard her bedroom door open. It wasn’t hard to figure out who had entered, her soul practically called out to them. However, she kept her eyes shut and her body stock still, unwilling to fully exit the realm of sleep just yet. Her body clock had deemed it much too early and there were seldom times that happened after being raised to get up before everyone else did. She let out a sigh and snuggled deeper into the comfort of her duvet. She was on the verge of dozing off until a shameful yelp echoed through the room, accompanied by a soft _thud_ , and followed by an amused chuckle.

“You didn’t see anything, Moony.”

“Of course not, Padfoot.”

Ashley guessed that if she had opened her eyes, she would have witnessed Sirius trip and fall. If she knew him well enough, and she did, he was most likely pouting. It was a tempting sight to see, incredibly so, but she was still reluctant to leave her bed. She refused to stop attempting to go back to sleep. But then, the mattress sunk in front of her, indicating that one of her soul-bonded had taken a seat. Remus, she sensed. He rested a hand on her bare arm and shook her gently.

“Cub? Wake up, sweetheart.” He crooned.

Ashley groaned and rolled to face the other way. She threw the duvet over her head to cover herself but it was soon snatched from her grip. Blinking blearily, she narrowed her eyes at Sirius who had plopped down parallel to Remus. Her breath hitched when the Animagus leaned down; close enough that she was able to see him clearly without the help of her glasses. And that was pretty damn close, she had horrible eyesight. She unconsciously swallowed, getting even more flustered when her eyes focused on the smirk painted on the Animagus’ lips. She didn’t have the strength to fight the smile that broke through her irritated facade when he planted a kiss on her temple.

“Good morning.” He grinned.

He moved back, giving Ashley space to sit up and rub her eyes. Yawning, she went to ask for her glasses when they appeared in front of her, resting on Remus’ hand. She thanked him and grabbed her wand, lazily casting _Tempus_. She gaped at the time the spell revealed.

“Siri, Remy, it’s only 6 AM!” She whined.

“We know it’s early, but it’s your first birthday with us ever since we got you back.” Remus explained.

“We would have thrown you a party but since you’ll have to leave for Hogwarts in a few hours, we’ll just have to make the most of this morning.” Sirius shrugged.

_Oh, right, it’s my birthday._

How the hell had Ashley managed to forget her own birthday? Well, admittedly, she had been fixed on other…more important thoughts. The search for the Tree of Life was still fruitless so that had certainly kept her mind occupied. Still, forgetting her very own birthday? She’d always been the first one to greet herself when midnight arrived because she knew no one else would care if it was her special day. But that wasn’t true anymore; she had proper friends and family now. She didn’t need to spend her birthday (or _any_ day, really) all alone anymore.

“I actually forgot today’s my birthday. Thank you for remembering.”

“That’s nothing to thank us for, cub.”

“We’ve noticed that you’ve been a bit down lately. We don’t know why and we won’t pester you with questions, but all we ask of you is to focus on us for the day so that we can make you happy like we promised. Now, where’s that lovely smile of yours?”

Ashley felt as if she would melt at any given moment. She loved that her soul-bonded were concerned for her yet still respected her privacy. The corner of her lips tipped upwards into a small smile but that didn’t satisfy Sirius. He lunged and reached for her sides, tickling her furiously. She squealed amidst the laugh that burst from her and attempted to wriggle away but he firmly held her down. Eventually, Remus took pity on her and saved her from Sirius. The werewolf pulled her into his lap, silencing her immediately. He rubbed her aching cheeks and kissed her heated, red-tinted skin, right on the scar on her forehead.

Moko, who was hanging from the ceiling, unfortunately had a great view of the whole thing. He didn’t hesitate to tease Ashley about how badly she was blushing. She couldn’t help it. It was an inappropriate reaction for a twelve year old towards men who were the same age as her father would have been but mentally, she was nearing her twenties. It was perfectly normal for a young adult such as herself, or just as a normal person really, to get flustered over the close proximity of someone (or two) she liked. Additionally, the intimate scene from the week before hadn’t exactly left her mind yet so that didn’t help the situation at all.

“Alright, alright, let me get changed first.” She said, moving away from Remus who hopefully hadn’t noticed her blush.

“There’s no need for that, Bambi. We’re in our pajamas as well.” Sirius gestured towards himself and Remus.

He was right. They were both in their respective nightwear which only consisted of maroon satin pajama bottoms and dark plaid ones. This obviously left their entire torsos uncovered and Ashley was not about to complain. Remus had the muscles no one would expect from someone who wore lose clothing all the time. The scars he gained from numerous full moons were faded but still visible. Sirius, on the other hand, had completely removed the aftereffects of Azkaban on his body. His mating mark on his left shoulder and the ink all over his chest was bared for all to see. He had actually told Ashley what each tattoo meant when she first saw them. He got each and everyone willingly. A few were during his time in Azkaban to attain some sort of control for himself, but most were acts of teenage rebellion against Walburga.

Ashley was pretty sure, though, that the two men preferred to sleep naked, at least Sirius did. She might have heard an inkling of that during one of their flirtations where they thought she wasn’t listening. She always was, and on the rare occasion that she wasn’t, Moko was. Despite usually being hidden under her sleeve all day, he had a knack for knowing the gossip going around Hogwarts because of that little fact.

“There’s a big breakfast ready downstairs. Kreacher was more than happy to help prepare it all.”

Remus and Sirius stood from the bed and headed for the door with Ashley trailing closely behind. However, she skidded to a stop when she noticed her reflection on the vanity mirror. She tilted her head and made a curious sound, gaining her soul-bonded’s attention.

“Huh…”

“What is it?”

“I think I had a growth spurt overnight. I’m taller.”

Ashley was, indeed, a good few inches taller than she was the day before. If she wasn’t mistaken, she was approximately five foot flat, reaching up to Sirius and Remus’ chests at her full height. As far as she knew, she was maybe the right size for a healthy twelve year old. That was definitely a good thing; it meant that she was growing properly (albeit a little sudden with the time span of less than half a day). It seemed like she had already been given her first birthday gift, one Alyssa certainly wouldn’t appreciate.

“You are,” Sirius observed, “but not enough that I won’t be able to carry you.”

And with that, Ashley was swept off the ground. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Sirius’ neck while he carried her bridal-style. Her ruffled protests were futile and this time around, Remus made no move to help her and only watched on in amusement. She stopped struggling in favor of pouting, worried that her flailing about would cause Sirius to drop her. Although she knew he would never do such a thing. It was just that, she had never had people who were so casual with carrying her around without a care. Well, that wasn’t _completely_ true. Ashley had always been light so Mitchelle had fun whisking her off her feet, much to her chagrin. But being carried by a man was a different thing altogether. It made Ashley so…self-conscious, and she didn’t like that feeling very much.

Sirius pulled her out of her thoughts by placing her down near the end of the dining table. She was genuinely awed at the jaw-dropping amount of food laid out in front of her. It wasn’t a meal, it was a _feast_! The whole thing was sure to keep a single person fed for a whole month. Ashley honestly felt like she was back at Hogwarts. Just how many people were Sirius and Remus planning to feed? Was she meant to bring along what she couldn’t consume (which was most of what was prepared)? It was an overwhelming sight.

Sirius and Remus ushered the speechless Potter Heiress over to where the Lord of the House, Sirius obviously, usually sat. They piled food on her plate first, thankfully wary of her not-so-large appetite, before attending theirs. It was all delicious but she felt like her stomach was on the verge of exploding after eating so much. She didn’t think there was more to it. She was wrong. Kreacher came and smiled at her (successfully disturbing Sirius), snapping his fingers to summon the desert. It was a two-layered, red velvet (according to Remus) cake covered in ruby red frosting with exactly twelve candles situated at the top. Sirius and Remus might have overdone themselves a bit.

“Make a wish, sweetheart.” Remus said, lighting the candles with a swish of his wand.

Ashley nodded and bit her lip thoughtfully, wracking her brain for a wish. She didn’t know what to ask for. She contemplated wishing for the direct path to the Tree of Life but she wanted to figure that out for herself (with the occasional hint here and there from a goddess or whatnot). It was taking a long time, sure, but life would be boring if she didn’t have to work to get what she wanted. Although there was no guarantee that it would come true, it would still be more fulfilling if she didn’t just wish to find the tree.

_I wish…for everything to turn out alright._

It was all she could ask for, really. There were times when she was left alone to over think that she would wonder if her actions were on the right side of things. Was it wrong to have built a conspiracy and dragged people along with her? It sometimes kept her up at night. Nevertheless, she wanted to her plans to succeed, not just for her sake, but for everyone else’s. Maybe it wasn’t right, but she was willing to go through with it all to end Dumbledore’s tyranny.

“Alright, time for presents.”

Sirius clapped his hands enthusiastically as Remus snapped a discrete picture of Ashley blowing out her candles. They seemed more excited than she was, and it was _her_ birthday.

“Presents, as in plural?”

“Yes, your friends sent their gifts in yesterday. Not to say that we didn’t just get you one gift.”

“So that’s what you were hiding!”

“We were so worried that we would slip and you’d find out.”

“If I’d asked, you could have lied or something.”

“We would never lie to you. I’m pretty sure we’re also physically incapable of saying no.”

 _Well, that_ might _not be true…_

Ashley grimaced, carefully turning away from the two older Marauders. There was one thing she knew they would refuse with everything they had, and that was their soul bond. The huge age gap existed, her parents were close friends of theirs, and then there was the fact that one of them was her godfather (and they were maybe distantly related in some way, but really, who wasn’t?). There were a lot of complications the public would see, thus giving Sirius and Remus a whole ton of excuses. And the worst of it all, who said that they would reciprocate Ashley’s feelings? What was the point in her worrying over things that might not even happen? Sirius and Remus might not even care that they were soul-bonded.

“We’ll go get your presents.”

Sirius patted the top of Ashley’s head and pulled Remus out the door. In his haste, the Animagus might have forgotten that magic existed. He could have summoned the presents with a flick of his wand. Although, Ashley guessed that he wanted fetch the presents himself. As brilliant of a wizard as he was, he preferred not to rely so heavily on magic. If he could do things without it, he would. This was another kind of rebellion, this time against himself. He had always been aware that he had a dark magic core, like Ashley, though he chose not to acknowledge it. Prejudice had done its job in making him believe that dark wizards would eventually turn evil along the way. He was fully convinced by Dumbledore’s nonsense, but obviously, all that changed when he found out the old wizard’s crimes against those he considered family. And with the added information that his beloved Bambi was a dark witch, herself, Sirius no longer held a grudge over dark-cored individuals. Alas, there was that saying, old habits die hard. Sirius was trying though, that was the important part.

Ashley looked up when she heard the telltale hissing of her familiar. She smiled at him as he lowered himself to her height, nudging her cheek affectionately. He slowly wrapped himself around her torso, ending with his head resting on her right shoulder. She stroked along his scales with one finger and jumped when Kreacher appeared to lead her to the living room. She stood from her seat and followed the house-elf, flopping on the couch cross-legged.

“Happiest birthday, Mistress. Kreacher is sorry he has no gift for you...”

“That’s alright, Kreacher. But, well, there is one thing I need to ask of you…”

Ashley felt bad for asking on that specific day. Since it was her birthday and he considered her as one of his nicer masters, Kreacher would feel obligated to follow through with her request but she had to get Slytherin’s locket from him as soon as was possible. She figured that she was bound to perform Tom’s ritual sometime during the upcoming school term. She wasn’t aware when the breakout was scheduled but the Dark Lord had informed her that it would be soon, most likely before the year ended. After that catastrophe, the Order and Ministry would be on high alert. Tom would undoubtedly rush the ritual, needing his full power then. Ashley had to gather the Horcruxes to ready herself for that moment. She already had two in her possession (excluding herself, of course). The diadem was at Hogwarts and the cup would be sent to her once Bellatrix was available. All that was left was the locket.

“Anything for you, Mistress!” Kreacher exclaimed.

“Right, um…” Ashley trailed off.

She hesitated only for a moment but eventually, she gathered her courage to continue. She was a Gryffindor, for Merlin’s sake! She had to act like one, even though she had been meant to be a Slytherin originally.

“I need you to give me Slytherin’s locket.” She disclosed.

“…Locket? Kreacher has no locket.” Kreacher shifted uncomfortably, glancing away to avoid eye contact.

“Please, Kreacher, I need to have it.” Ashley insisted.

“But… Kreacher can’t give it away. Master Regulus tasked Kreacher to protect it.”

“Wait, protect it?”

“Yes, it was Master Regulus’ last order for Kreacher, to protect the locket from the chickens.”

_Merlin… Well, isn’t that quite a shock?_

“Chickens…? You mean, the Order?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Why would Regulus do that?”

“Master Regulus was one of the Dark Lord’s most trusted so he was assigned to keep the locket away from the chickens. But then, they found out and hunted him down. Kreacher was there when they found him. He tried to fight back but there were too many of them. They…”

Ashley’s mind reeled from all the new information Kreacher revealed to her. She slumped back in her seat from where she had leaned forward in curiosity. The implication of what Kreacher left unsaid hit her like a brick to the face, leaving her close to tears. She ushered the crestfallen house-elf to the empty spot beside her and comforted the both of them with a hug.

_Oh my Godric, I can’t believe it… The Order killed Regulus._

“This is why Kreacher despises Master Sirius. Not only is he nasty to Kreacher, he lets the filth who killed Master Regulus in this house.”

“H-he didn’t know, Kreacher. If he did... Well, he might have been shipped off to Azkaban for a much different reason…”

Having been (willingly) thrown into a world full of magic, there was a lot of the unknown despite the familiarity of it all. However, if there was one thing Ashley was certain of, it would be that Sirius loved his younger brother even if they were on opposing sides. She had witnessed it herself. She wasn’t oblivious; she spotted the pain in Sirius’ eyes whenever he retold childhood stories that included Regulus. The Animagus could be cold and outright rude at times, but he wasn’t all that subtle when it came to people he cared about. After all, Regulus was one of the very few of the Black family portraits that hadn’t been discarded and burned (although Sirius tended to avoid the hallway where his portrait was located in).

“Master Regulus told Kreacher to warn his brother but Master Sirius wouldn’t listen. He just called Kreacher names…”

“I think the reason why he didn’t listen to you is because he was under Dumbledore’s compulsion charms. He’ll listen now.”

“I believe you, Mistress.”

“Now, will you please give me the locket?”

Kreacher nodded and disapparated to retrieve Slytherin’s locket. He reappeared after a short while with it lying in his open palms, outstretched towards Ashley. She gratefully accepted it and tucked it into her pajama pocket.

“I’ll protect this locket with my life.” She promised.

Not a second after she said that, Sirius and Remus came barging in with armfuls of presents. Ashley’s mouth dropped open in a silent gasp. She truly hadn’t expected there to be so many. Sirius and Remus dropped all the boxes on the carpet, gently pulling her to join them on the floor. Kreacher stood by to watch, eagerly waiting for the Potter Heiress’ reactions along with her soul-bonded. Her gaze wandered across the gifts, pondering over which one to start with. In the end, she decided to read the greeting cards first, the ones that came without presents. Most were from strangers who just wanted the Chosen One’s attention but there were some she actually recognized. There was one from Griphook and the entirety of the goblin race, one from Tom the bartender, one from each of the Hogwarts professors (yes, including Snape), and even one from Rita Skeeter. Done reading all the cards, Ashley then soldiered through the actual gifts.

They were all wonderful and she was genuinely thankful for each one. Among the lot, there were some memorable ones, like the book of dragons Charlie got her. During the Christmas holidays, the dragonologist had discovered her love for magical creatures and promised her that he would help her learn as much as was possible. He even offered her that he would take her in at the sanctuary if she ever wanted to enter the same profession. It was a definite option for the future.

Mitchelle, whose recent summer hobby was knitting, got Ashley a black scarf with a gold lightning bolt pin as an accessory. Alyssa’s gift was a little snow globe of Hogsmeade with the weather representing whatever was Ashley’s current mood. For example, if the Potter Heiress got mad, the little village would be assaulted and destroyed by a raging storm. However, it would reset as soon as her mood changed. The rest of the gifts from her friends were mostly handy books but she honestly didn’t mind the collection of books she received. It would help her fill the empty bookshelf in her bedroom. She loved each and every gift, she did, but the one she cherished the most was the main gift Sirius and Remus got her.

It was a customized circular locket, silver to match her charm bracelet. Intricate designs covered the space that wasn’t marked by the three animals portraying the soul-bonded trio. A wolf and a dog arched to form a loose circle. Both animals were similar in shape but the wolf lacked a tail like an actual werewolf would. In the middle of the circle was a sitting fawn with a miniature emerald for an eye.

“From now on, we’ll be with you even when you’re far away. You’ll have our love and support even when we’re not there with you.” Remus said softly, perching Ashley on his lap.

“Go on, pup, look inside.” Sirius scooted closer, laying his head on his lover’s shoulder.

Ashley obliged and smiled at the two photographs contained the locket contained. One was a duplicate of the first ever picture she took with her camera, the one where she, Sirius, and Remus were at King’s Cross, while the other only had her soul-bonded. Her heart very nearly melted once the latter began moving, relaying the two men’s recorded message for her.

“We’ll love you always, Ashley. No matter what, don’t you ever forget that.”

Ashley wished she had something to give to her soul-bonded in return to act as her presence while she was away. They didn’t have anything better to do aside from the sporadic dates they would go on. It wasn’t like either man had a job to keep themselves occupied. Sirius had blatantly refused to go back to being an Auror. The job had grueling hours and he didn’t want to be separated from Remus for long. Thus, Remus had to stay home as well. The Animagus hated to be alone more than anything and frankly, Remus agreed for two reasons. One, the werewolf wasn’t fond of being alone himself. And two, leaving Sirius to his own devices, even for a short moment, had always been a bad idea. The last time that had happened, Grimmauld Place had almost burned down completely. The Black madness really was a burden. It was best that Sirius kept busy so that his mind didn’t descend further into darkness. Also, it wasn’t like Remus could get a proper job in the Wizarding World. Werewolves, such as himself, were still shunned at best. Ashley couldn’t do much to change the people’s views but she planned to prevent people like _Umbridge_ , that fucking _toad_ , to make situations worse. In the meantime, they had more than enough money to get by so acquiring a job wasn’t exactly a necessity.

“Thank you for this, I love it.” Ashley beamed.

“We can see that.” Sirius chuckled, “But we can also see that you look troubled. What’s wrong, Bambi?”

Ashley’s grin faltered at that, knowing the reason for the troubled look in her eyes. Despite the joyous moment, her mind had never left the topic of Regulus’ death. It wasn’t something to take lightly and it was utterly _devastating_ how he met his end. Nobody even knew of his sacrifice, no one except Ashley, Moko, Kreacher and probably only a selected few of the Order but… Sirius deserved to know more than anyone else. Regulus was _his_ brother and he would want to know the truth of what had really happened, what Dumbledore’s capability really was when it came to his _greater good_ bullshit.

“I don’t wanna ruin the mood but… Sirius, you need to know what really happened to Regulus.”

“What…?”

Ashley bit her lip anxiously and gestured for Kreacher to come closer. She shifted so that she was kneeling in front of Sirius and took his hands in hers. Kreacher stood beside them and retold the story of Regulus’ death. It broke both Ashley and Remus’ hearts when the horror and anguish settled on Sirius’ features. He practically pleaded with the Potter Heiress to tell him that the house-elf was lying yet she could do nothing but confirm it. The Animagus’ eyes darkened to a stormy grey as the weight of it all aroused his fury. He abruptly stood and had his wand out in a second, casting jinx and hexes at the wall, and whatever else spells entered his mind in an effort to lessen the pain he felt. He exhausted himself after a few minutes and crumpled to the ground as sobs wrecked through his trembling form. Remus and Ashley silently gathered him in their arms, letting him cry and spew threats towards someone once considered as a trusted ally. As much as they wanted to ease the pain, they couldn’t.

The truth always hurt, didn’t it?


	5. Bad Blood

****“Be careful, darling. Please… I can’t lose anyone else… You and Remus are all I have left.”** **

Sirius’ last words echoed through Ashley’s mind as she leaned her head against her chosen compartment’s window. Even with her gaze trained at the orange sky, her attention was entirely elsewhere while her fingers idly played with her new locket. It pained her to have left Sirius in such a broken state but what choice did she have? And it wasn’t like her soul-bonded would have actually allowed her to stay behind with them. Still, her soul ached restlessly from separating with Sirius and Remus at such a tragic time. It seemed that with the months they spent together, the bond they shared had grown somewhat stronger. It was something Griphook had failed to mention but Ashley’s on-going theory was that the stronger the bond was, the more in tune the participants would be to each other. Being that she was the stronger individual in the active bond, magically speaking at least, the emotional strain of learning about Regulus’ death affected her more than it normally would. This was due to her soul feeling both Remus and Sirius’ grief, thus producing the need to comfort them. Knowing that she couldn’t and that she was being taken away (albeit temporarily), it made her…uncomfortable, for a lack of better wording.

She sighed and sat upright, thinking that it was best to get her mind off of depressing topics for a while, even just for the entirety of the train ride. Unfortunately, her present companions were all engrossed in other activities that didn’t include entertaining her. Neville was sound asleep across from her and the twins had taken it upon themselves to terrorize the other students with Moko. Her familiar had been hesitant to go but she convinced him that she would be fine. Tapping her locket, she came up with a wild idea that would kill her if she were anyone else. She dug through her pocket and got hold of her mirror. She gently rested her fingertips on the glass and watched as it rippled. She was then met with the red-eyed glare of an irritated Tom Riddle.

“Hello!” She greeted exuberantly.

She plastered a wide, tight-lipped smile on her face but she was sure that Tom sensed how forced it seemed. Her eyes, puffy and red from the incessant amount of crying earlier, didn’t help the situation either. Thankfully, Tom chose not to comment on it.

“Is there any reason why you’re talking to me right now?”

“I’m on my way to Hogwarts and I’m bored.”

“You’re _bored_?”

Ashley nearly snickered as she noticed the slight twitching of Tom’s eye.

“Aren’t the mirrors for emergencies?”

“It’s a special occasion, let me have my fun.”

“Why don’t you go bother your friends instead of me?”

“I’m doing exactly that. You’re one of my friends.”

“Never did I, nor will I ever, agree to that.”

“Aw, don’t be like that. Anyway, don’t you have something to say to me?”

“What would that be?”

“It hurts me that you don’t remember.”

“You act as if I don’t find joy in your pain.”

“Fine, you sadistic git, never mind then… You’re staying at Malfoy Manor now, aren’t you?”

“Luxury was obviously the better choice instead of staying at a rundown shack.”

“You know, I’m very curious.”

“Well, do enlighten me.”

“What do Dark Lords really do in their free time? Do you just…loom around your followers and act menacing and stuff?”

“…Well, I wouldn’t say that wasn’t part of the job description.”

“Oh, so you _do_ have a sense of humor hidden beneath all that wickedness of yours.”

Ashley zeroed on the upturning of the corners of Tom’s lips, forming what she assumed was a small smile. In that moment, he didn’t look quite like the evil Dark Lord everyone knew. It was a refreshing change, and definitely a welcome one.

“Is that a smile I see?”

“ _Goodbye_ , Potter.”

Ashley pouted as Tom’s image was replaced with her reflection. The subsequent silence was more than enough to bring back the dark thoughts that had briefly disappeared. She placed her mirror back in her pocket and curled into a ball, lying sideways across the seats. She shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Having been woken up at 6 AM, she really needed the extra rest.

By the time she was up again, the sun had set far below the horizon. The moon and stars, although hidden behind a thin layering of clouds, were a stark contrast to the darkness of the night. The compartment was lively with merry chatter. Fred and George were bantering while Neville watched on in amusement. Ashley sat up from where her head was pillowed on Fred’s lap and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She adjusted her glasses and yawned into her hand, patting Moko’s head when he slithered up her arm.

“You should probably change now. We’re almost there.” Neville informed.

Ashley nodded and grabbed her satchel, heading out the compartment and to the bathroom to change into her school robes. Moko coming along wasn’t a problem; she had changed in front of him before. Admittedly, she hadn’t had much of a choice back then since that was when they were still on the rock island but he was a snake. Technically, he was always naked wherever he went so no, changing clothes was not a problem with them. It didn’t even take that long. Ashley was completely dressed in less than a couple of minutes. She wrapped her new scarf around her neck, making sure that Moko was comfortable underneath it. It was a fairly chilly night and she had to keep him warm.

Exiting the bathroom, she was suddenly pushed aside as a figure ran past her. A sense of brief familiarity rose from deep within before the stranger, a dark-haired girl inches shorter than her, slipped into a noisy compartment. Ashley had a bad feeling in her gut that told her she couldn’t trust the unnamed individual. Whoever that stranger was, she would only bring more trouble into the Potter Heiress’ already dangerous life. Ashley huffed and returned to her compartment.

When the train arrived at the station, the first years were immediately gathered by Hagrid and led away to the boats. The second years followed the elder students over to the carriages. While others marveled at the invisible force pulling the aforementioned carriages, Ashley admired the Thestrals. She cautiously approached one and to her surprise, the bony creature not only acknowledged her, but seemed very eager to go near her. She knew Thestrals were intelligent enough to distinguish friends from foes but that was certainly a peculiar reaction.

Nevertheless, she giggled and hugged its neck, running a single hand along its leathery wings. She was well aware that for those who hadn’t witnessed death yet, she was touching nothing but air and looked like she’d completely lost her mind. She didn’t care though. She only stepped back when Mitchelle hollered at her to join them in the carriage. While climbing on, Ashley explained to a confused Moko what Thestrals were. She sat as close to the Thestral as possible, next to the soul-bonded Slytherin couple that was Alyssa and Draco and directly across from Neville once again.

Halfway through the carriage ride, a brief flash of light behind Neville immediately caught Ashley’s attention. She snapped her gaze towards it and gaped at the glowing pentagram carved on the trunk of one of the trees placed at the border of the Forbidden Forest. Her hands flailed for a moment of panic until the back of her right hand landed on the Alyssa’s upper arm, resulting in a solid slap.

“Ow! Ash, what the hell was that for?”

“Sorry, but look!”

Ashley gestured to where she saw the symbol but when she turned her head, it was no longer there. She slowly lowered her hand back to her lap as she furrowed her eyebrows in puzzlement. Maybe it had been a hallucination? No, it couldn’t have been. Ashley wasn’t _that_ crazy. At least, she didn’t think she was…

“…I see nothing but trees.” Draco deadpanned.

“I swear I saw a pentagram there…” Ashley insisted with her shoulders slumped.

“We believe you. I guess we know where to start looking for the tree.” Cedric shrugged.

Even when they entered the castle to wait at the great hall for the first years, Ashley was stuck on the thought of the pentagram. She paid absolutely no mind to the sorting. She was glad that the tree was somewhere beside Hogwarts. That made the search a little easier for her and the rest of the Marauders. She thought that there were no trees in the Forbidden Forest that were like the ones she had dreamt about, they _were_ pretty special, but she hadn’t explored much of the forest to be a hundred percent sure. She had to get her hands on a map of the forest; maybe she would find more clues then. Maybe there was a grove that was hidden deeper into the forest, undoubtedly guarded by _something_ , knowing her inherited Potter luck.

“Kyra Pierce!”

For some reason, Ashley felt the odd urge to look towards the front. She eventually, though reluctantly, followed though she came to regret the decision very quickly. Her breath got caught in her throat as she was shocked still with the sight her gaze landed on. Approaching the stool was a first year that simply had the most arrogant air surrounding her, easily beating Draco during his bullying phase. She had curled, shoulder-length dark brown hair, almost black in its appearance, held back by a bejeweled pink headband. Her matching dark brown eyes were cold and critical compared to the sweet smile she paired with her innocently deceitful features. She was the stranger that had bumped into Ashley earlier on. The Potter Heiress finally understood why she had felt so… _off_. She knew _exactly_ who the girl was.

_No. No, no, no… She can’t be here, why is she here?_

“Ash, are you okay?” Neville asked, concerned.

Ashley couldn’t answer, she didn’t even hear him. Her ears had gone deaf to his question, to her familiar’s worrying, and to everything else around her. Her attention focused solely on Kyra as she was sorted into Gryffindor. The Potter Heiress ducked her head and stared at her clenched fists in her lap. An onslaught of memories cruelly assaulted her. Flashes of a belt whipping down on her, of the slaps and hits she had to endure, and of the degrading insults that had once reduced her self-worth and confidence to dust. The feeling of being treated as nothing less than a disappointment, the feeling of being unwanted and unable to do anything right, it all came crashing down on her.

The Dursleys hadn’t been the first to hurt her instead of taking care of her. Their abuse wasn’t something she hadn’t been through before. Pain had been a familiar friend ever since she could remember. After all, there was a reason why left from her past home. She understood Sirius in that regard. They both had no other choice than to just _run_ , and in that moment, she wanted to do it again.

 _Why? Why does she have to be here? Wasn’t all that torture_ enough _?_

Tensed beyond belief, she attempted to control the fear bubbling within her, knowing that her magic was flaring up. She struggled to keep her breathing in check as her chest constricted. She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt the prickling sensation of tears. She had promised herself when she’d gotten away that she would never cry over _them_ again. They weren’t worth it but one look at her past and she was already crumbling. She hated that they still had power over her after all that time. She felt so weak, it was pathetic.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck… I can’t breathe… I-I can’t-!_

****“You’ll have our love and support even when we’re not there with you.”** **

Wheezing, Ashley reached up and closed her hand around the cool surface of her locket. She then concentrated on her bond with Sirius and Remus. Slowly but surely, she calmed down as she felt the unbridled love the men held for her. The subconscious comfort their souls offered was enough for her. She finally came to and raised her head, surveying the reactions of those that witnessed her little episode. Thankfully, no one but her friends seemed to have paid attention since the feast had started while she was out of it. Neville, Maia, and Dominic were staring at her with wide-eyed concern while the twins were each holding one of her hands. She took note of Moko’s panic and murmured in Parseltongue, letting him rub against her cheek. The Marauders in the other Houses kept glancing at her, silently asking if she was okay or not. She smiled reassuringly at each one and turned to Mitchelle. The distress written on the Hufflepuff’s face perfectly mirrored Alyssa’s. Of course they had recognized Kyra as well.

“It’s alright, it was nothing.” Ashley answered, facing her fellow Gryffindor Marauders.

“Nothing? That was _not_ nothing.” Dominic disagreed, frowning.

“Tell us what’s wrong. No secrets, remember?” Neville gently encouraged.

Ashley bit her lip and shifted in her seat. She jumped when an arm was thrown across her shoulder, while another wrapped around her waist. The twins leaned in from either side of her and discretely cast a silencing ward, along with a glamour of them eating.

“Tell them, little raven.” Fred encouraged, “You know what this means.”

“If she’s here…” George trailed off, gesturing for Ashley to continue.

“Then so are our… _her_ parents, I know.” She begrudgingly acknowledged.

“Who _is_ she?” Maia persisted.

Ashley pursed her lips and chanced a glance towards Kyra, remembering how the younger girl used to torment her. Ashley had told herself that it hadn’t been Kyra’s (originally Kate) fault that she had been raised to be cruel but in the end, it was useless to have had that kind of mentality. Kyra had enjoyed the abuse she caused. Tears did nothing but amuse her, seeing the suffering of others only made her laugh and seek more. She was a true devil in disguise because when Ashley first met her, she’d been convinced the little girl was an angel. Ashley was thankful to have gotten away when she ran but even in another dimension, she _still_ couldn’t escape her past.

 _It’s fine, you’re_ fine _. You’re stronger than this,_ them _. They can’t hurt you anymore. They haven’t been able to hurt you for a long time…_

“She is… _was_ my sister.” She revealed quietly.

“What?!” Maia exclaimed.

“You mean, from the other world?” Neville clarified.

Ashley nodded, clutching her hand tighter around her locket. She had no doubt that with her reactions, her friends easily figured out that there was bad blood between her and her ex-sister. Consequentially, they stopped asking any more questions to avoid further upsetting her. She let out a soft breath and began piling food on her plate.

“Fred, George… Will they be a problem?”

“Yes, they’re very close with Dumbledore.”

“…Find out as much as you all can about their family. We need to know who we’ll be going up against.”

The present Marauders agreed and continued the meal in solemn silence. When the Houses were sent to their respective dormitories, Ashley lagged behind her friends and spoke to none of her roommates as they went through their nightly routines. The day had been utterly merciless to her. It was memorable, sure, but definitely not the greatest birthday celebration. She was exhausted in every sense of the word and wanted nothing more than to sink into the depths of slumber. However, despite her exhaustion, she was the last to fall asleep. Just as she began to drift, an owl swept in and landed near her feet.

_The Malfoys’ messenger owl? Huh… Didn’t they already send me a card?_

She sat up and reached for her glasses on the nightstand, sliding them on as she furrowed her eyebrows in thought. The barn owl, Avalar, carried with him a vertically-rectangular black box tied up with a golden ribbon, along with a folded piece of parchment. Ashley accepted both and was curious of the box’s somewhat heavy weight. Not knowing whether it was fragile or not, she placed it down on the duvet and read the note written on the parchment paper in fancy script.

_Don’t say I never got you anything. Happy birthday, little Horcrux._

“Aw, he does care.” Ashley giggled quietly.

“ _Deny as he might, he has grown soft towards you._ ” Moko hissed, slithering up her arm.

“ _It’s probably because I have, like, a sixty-forth of his soul._ ”

“ _You are not hard to love, little one. You can ask many people and they would say the same thing, especially Sirius and Remus._ ”

“ _We’re soul-bonded and I’m their best friend’s daughter. I don’t think they have much of a choice._ ”

“ _Stop that, they love you because you’re you._ ”

Ashley hummed, not really agreeing nor disagreeing, and set the note aside. She peeled the box open and peeked inside where a white silver-potted flower was waiting to bloom. Reading yet another note, the name of the flower was given. It was called a Lunar Ice Rose, a magical flower that bloomed every night under the moonlight. It only grew on a small secluded island off the cost of Hawaii, and its petals were a rare ingredient for a potion that allowed the drinker to survive the wrath of a dragon’s fire. To the note’s insistence, Ashley placed the flower on the nearest windowsill beside her bed. She watched in rapt fascination as the plant altered itself right in front of her.

Under the guidance of the moon, pure white petals unraveled, gaining a blue tint as they turned translucent, truly imitating its namesake. It gleamed and glowed, wisps of magic swirling around its majestic form. Transfixed, Ashley carefully caressed one of the petals and nearly gasped when a thin layer of frost overtook her fingertips. Grinning, she pulled her hand away, causing the frost to instantly melt away into nothing. She leaned an elbow on the nightstand and rested her chin on her palm, choosing to just admire the beauty of the flower.

She understood that Tom probably hadn’t been the one to actually retrieve the plant. Maybe it had been one of the low-ranked Death Eaters, the ones who were too scared to comment on his strange request, or maybe it had been one of his Elite who were too loyal to question him, perhaps Barty. Either way, Ashley appreciated the gift deeply. Nobody had ever given her a flower before, never mind a magical one. With that said, she would always have proof that there were people who genuinely cared for her, even though some refused to say it (looking at you, Tom, Snape). Upon realizing that, her day suddenly didn’t seem all that bad anymore.


	6. Persephone

“Ashley!”

Ashley grumbled incoherently under her breath before turning to face the source of the _irritatingly_ shrill voice that called out to her. Kyra ran up to her with the fakest smile she’d ever seen and locked their arms together. The brunette pulled Ashley along as she rambled on and on about things the Potter Heiress really could not (and would never) be bothered to care about. Ashley discretely distanced herself, fighting the urge to simply rip her arm away, and slowed her pace to a stop. Kyra, much too self-involved, didn’t even notice that she was walking alone now. Ashley veered through the other students, relieved that she was finally rid of the younger Gryffindor.

Kyra Pierce had done nothing but bother her since the first day of classes. Ashley could have honestly dealt with the situation better if the girl was as callous as she was back then, but _no_. Kyra was being an obnoxious little brat who had apparently made it her personal mission to join the Marauders, something that was far beyond consideration. Ashley was lucky that they were in different years and thus, had different schedules. Unfortunately, when their free periods aligned, Kyra immediately sought out the Potter Heiress like she did earlier. Ashley would have seen it as some sort of hero adoration phase, similar with Colin Creevey who she had yet to meet, but she knew who she was dealing with. She had no doubt that Kyra and, by extension, her family had less-than-innocent intentions.

The Pierces, from what the Marauders had gathered, were not quite an influential family, but they were very loyal to Dumbledore and the light side. Kyra was the only child to a pure-blood mother (Farah) and a Muggle-born father (Graham). This obviously made her a half-blood yet she certainly didn’t act like one. Her superiority complex rivaled Lucius’, having such a huge ego despite having done nothing crucial in her life yet. As far as Ashley could sense, there was nothing remotely special about her magic core. Kyra’s parents were also not that big of a deal. They were part of the Order but magic-wise, they were average at most. The family wasn’t wealthy and the only connections they had were through Dumbledore but Ashley couldn’t be too sure. They could be more powerful than they let on.

Ashley leaned against the corridor wall and dug deep within her satchel for the class schedule. With the recent turmoil her mind was going through on a daily basis, she hadn’t had the proper focus to memorize her schedule just yet.

* * *

**GRYFFINDOR SECOND YEAR SCHEDULE**

**TIME**

| 

**MONDAY**

| 

**TUESDAY**

| 

**WEDNESDAY**

| 

**THURSDAY**

| 

**FRIDAY**  
  
---|---|---|---|---|---  
  
9:00-10:30

| 

History of Magic (H)

| 

~

| 

Herbology (H)

| 

~

| 

DADA (S)

|   
  
10:30-10:45

| 

BREAK

| 

BREAK

| 

BREAK

| 

BREAK

| 

BREAK

|   
  
10:45-11:30

| 

Potions (S)

| 

~

| 

Charms (R)

| 

History of Magic (H)

| 

Herbology (G)

|   
  
11:30-1:00

| 

~

| 

Potions (S)

| 

Transfiguration (R)

| 

Charms

(R)

| 

~

|   
  
1:00-2:00

| 

LUNCH

| 

LUNCH

| 

LUNCH

| 

LUNCH

| 

LUNCH

|   
  
2:00-2:45

| 

~

| 

~

| 

~

| 

~

| 

Flying (S)

|   
  
2:45-3:30

| 

~

| 

~

| 

~

| 

~

| 

Flying (S)

|   
  
3:30-4:15

| 

Transfig. (R)

| 

~

| 

Astronomy (H)

| 

DADA (S)

| 

~

|   
  
4:15-6:15

| 

DINNER

| 

DINNER

| 

DINNER

| 

DINNER

| 

DINNER

|   
  
7:45-8:30

| 

~

| 

Astronomy (H)

| 

~

|   
---  
  
~

| 

~

|   
  
* * *

_Astronomy isn’t until before dinner. Merlin, that’s an hour and a half to spend hiding away from Kyra…_

“Ashley, where’d you go?”

Ashley cursed internally and hurriedly ducked behind a banner where she knew there to be space for hiding. It was a small hidden alcove, empty of any sign of recent usage. Thankfully, because the castle wished to please its Heiress, the alcove was spotless and free of dust and dirt. Ashley leaned her back against the wall and listened to the clicking of Kyra’s heels echoing through the corridor. The Potter Heiress held her breath when the footsteps came closer and abruptly stopped. Outside her hiding spot, she heard two voices, one belonging to Kyra, the other to a certain elder Hufflepuff who had the utmost perfect timing.

“She’s gone, you can come out now.” Cedric called out, seconds after Kyra walked away in a fit of rage.

Ashley moved the banner a bit and peaked through the gap she made. Sure that she and Cedric were alone, she slipped out of the alcove, noting the spot for possible future use. Although, it was probably already marked on the Marauder’s Map. The only places that weren’t shown on the map were the Room of Requirement and the Chamber of Secrets. Other than that, the Marauders had explored every nook and cranny of the castle.

“Thanks for getting rid of her.”

“My pleasure.”

“Wait, shouldn’t you be in class right now?”

“I should, yeah.”

“You’re skipping?”

“With Lockhart as professor, a lot of us are, especially the Ravenclaws. He won’t teach us anything aside from facts about himself.”

“I don’t have Defense ‘til tomorrow and I am _not_ looking forward to it.”

“Understandable. You’d be a better teacher.”

“You think?”

“Yeah! I’ve been to some of your tutoring sessions and I can confidently say that you have a knack for it. You’re also better at magic and you definitely know more spells.”

“You flatter me.”

Laughing, Cedric led Ashley by the shoulder over to an empty, unused classroom where his soul-bonded and Alyssa were waiting in. The Potter Heiress related her encounter with the she-beast that was her former sister and complained about her like she so often did.

“Why is she trying so hard to suck up to you?”

“She’s most likely spying for Dumbledore. Now, come on, follow me. I know just where to hide until Astronomy. Cedric, you coming with?”

“Maybe some other time, I’ll hide out in the common room for now.”

Right in front of Alyssa and Ashley, Cedric placed a kiss on the top of Mitchelle’s head. As the two slightly younger girls giggled at their best friend’s flustered state, he waved goodbye and left the Golden Trio to their own devices. Mitchelle slapped Ashley and Alyssa’s arms good-naturedly while grinning herself. The Hufflepuff then pressed Ashley to take them wherever she had intended to divert the attention away from the short public display of affection. Ashley snickered but willingly obliged, escorting them to the second floor girls’ lavatory, more commonly known as Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom.

“ _Open._ ”

The Golden Trio watched as the column of sinks separated, the one with the snake-engraved tap descending down to reveal a massive pipe leading into darkness. They hesitated upon seeing the dust built up on the walls of the massive hole but eventually, they jumped down one by one (after casting _Scourgify_ because getting their uniforms dirty was simply not an option). They wandered through the dark corridor with their wands lit up, careful not to step on any of the bones littered about, until they were met with their last obstacle. Ashley accessed Parseltongue to get through it and finally, they reached the famed Chamber of Secrets. They huddled together as they crept in between the pillars, stopping at the feet of Salazar Slytherin’s tall and proud stone statue. But with the poor lighting, the girls really couldn’t see the room quite clearly. Ashley narrowed her eyes and pointed her wand at one of the pillars, illuminating an unlit torch. She hissed in the language of the snakes and one by one, the few torches within the Chamber flared to life.

“ _A Speaker… Young Master, is that you I hear?_ ”

Ashley tensed as she heard the soft yet ominous voice that belonged to the one and only Basilisk. The Potter Heiress hurriedly closed her eyes, prompting her friends to follow. She then uttered the single sentence that would release the beast, which could very well kill them all, to freely roam the area. The sound of stone grinding against stone rang through the Chamber as the statue’s mouth opened. The change of atmosphere was immediate the moment the Basilisk caught sight of the three intruders.

“ _Who dares enter this Chamber?_ ” The Basilisk hissed threateningly.

“ _Great Basilisk, I am Ashley Potter. If you may, please don’t attack us. We have no ill intentions._ ” Ashley assured, the only sign of anxiety being her trembling hands.

“ _You are a Speaker? How is that possible? I have met Master’s Heir and he couldn’t have bore a child._ ” The Basilisk said, suspicious.

“ _I’m not Tom’s daughter, but I am connected to him. He accidentally made me his Horcrux._ ” Ashley explained.

“ _He’s gone so far astray…_ ” The Basilisk seemed to sigh with a wistful tone.

“ _He has, but we’re helping him regain what he lost by reuniting his Horcruxes._ ”

“ _Your quest is far more complex than you realize. His soul will never be truly whole._ ”

“ _What? Wait, before you elaborate, is there any way you can stop yourself from petrifying us? I’d like to talk to you with my eyes open, if that’s possible._ ”

“ _Yes… You may open your eyes now, Young Mistress._ ”

Ashley slowly opened one eye, nearly gasping at the Basilisk’s close proximity. Her hair moved with every inhale and exhale of the creature, causing a cold shiver to run down her spine. She cautiously glanced at its eyes, slumping in relief when she noticed that there were thin, almost transparent eyelids covering them. She gently nudged Mitchelle and Alyssa to signal them to open their eyes as well.

“ _Hello. It has been quite some time since I’ve had company down here._ ”

“ _Hi… If you’d like, we can visit you every once in a while. Do you have a name?_ ”

“ _Yes, Master named me Persephone._ ”

“ _Persephone, that’s a beautiful name. Thank you for not attacking us, especially Mitchelle here._ ”

The brunette Hufflepuff raised her eyebrows at Ashley when she was gestured at, not having understood a single word the Potter Heiress had said. Neither did Alyssa, so Mitchelle guessed it was fair.

“Especially _her? Whatever do you mean by that?_ ”

“ _Well, Mitchelle’s a Muggle-born. Weren’t you sealed here to one day attack her kind?_ ”

“ _No, no, you have it all wrong, Young Mistress. I was placed here to protect Master’s mate because he couldn’t do it himself at the time._ ”

“ _Salazar had a lover?! Wait, who?_ ”

“ _A husband, actually… You have Master’s locket, don’t you?_ ”

“ _Uh, yes, it’s right here._ ”

Ashley retrieved Salazar’s locket from her satchel and held it in front of her with open palms. She’d realized before the term began that she couldn’t very well keep the three Horcruxes she possessed in her trunk. Yes, there were powerful charms in place to hide and guard them, and it wasn’t like anyone would actually _dare_ loot her belongings (she had quite a mighty reputation after all, one she lived up to, especially during demonstrations in DADA). But it was better to be safe than sorry so, she came up with the brilliant idea of locking the Horcruxes away in the Chamber with the Basilisk as extra protection until the time of the ritual arrived. That was sure to take a while; the search for the tree hadn’t even started yet. Tom had been getting impatient. He was normally a patient person; he had to be in order to obtain the following he had. However, regaining his soul fragments, and thus reinforcing his core, was admittedly a big deal. Ashley had told him though that the ritual probably wouldn’t be held until _at least_ after the breakout he was planning. Surprisingly enough (not really), he was fine with the piece of information because in his mind, his newly-freed Death Eaters would then get to witness the true extent of his power.

“ _Open it, Young Mistress._ ” Persephone encouraged.

Ashley complied and drew the locket open. She peered inside and widened her eyes at the single picture encased. It was one of Salazar himself and _Godric Gryffindor_ , off all people. It could have been perceived as a remembrance of their friendship if Godric hadn’t had his arms wrapped around Salazar’s waist with a smirk that rivaled the green-robed wizard. It was obviously a romantic gesture, which meant they had to have been a couple at some point in their lives, or maybe they hadn’t really stopped. Salazar had gone away, but not without leaving his familiar for his mate’s sake. If the two founders had truly been soul-bonded like Ashley was assuming them to be, then something as trivial as difference in opinions wouldn’t matter to them. Well, whatever they were to each other, it was obviously a well-kept secret.

“…You know, somehow I’m not really all that surprised.” Mitch commented, looking over Ashley’s shoulder alongside Alyssa.

“Same. Actually, for all we know, this might have actually been canon.” Alyssa mused.

“Yeah… J.K. Rowling always seemed adamant to make every character gay.” Ashley agreed.

“And miserable…” Mitchelle continued.

“Wait…” Ashley narrowed her eyes.

Noticing an unusual detail with Salazar’s statue, she walked closer and blinked at the secret behind it. Pressed against the back of the stone statue was one of Godric. With the founders’ hands intertwined, their forms were seemingly melted against each other to signify what had been, now without a doubt, a soul bond between the two wizards. Blinking, Ashley gestured her friends over to show them the solid evidence of the untold relationship.

“ _So, you see? It is no question that you are Godric’s Heiress. I can sense a remainder of his power within you, and the castle’s magic flows through you. You would have meant a great deal to him, and you seem quite fond of Young Master. For that, I will help you as much as I am able._ ”

Ashley smiled and thanked the giant creature, simultaneously thinking up a way to express her gratitude. An idea struck her and quickly, she reached into her handy satchel. She pulled out her mirror and got to work, contacting the very person Persephone quite obviously missed all those years apart. Ashley had heard the hope in her voice when she called out for the then-unknown Speaker.

“Tom!” Ashley cheered, waving enthusiastically at Tom’s deadpan expression.

“This is the second time you’ve called me this week, which is already twice more than I want.” He complained, his upper lip lifting slightly into a sneer.

“Aw, I love how you pretend you don’t like talking to me.” Ashley grinned cheekily.

Tom rolled his eyes and made a non-committal noise, succeeding in increasing her amusement tenfold.

“You’ll give in someday. Anyway, guess where I am!”

Tom raised a questioning eyebrow but obliged nonetheless. He took in what was visible behind her form and instantly recognized the distinct design carved upon the lone pillar that he could see. He had gone insane, yes, but he would never be able to forget the Chamber where he spent hours upon hours of his Hogwarts days isolating himself and his… _partner_ from the blood prejudice of the student body.

“You’re in the Chamber.” He stated.

“Yep, and look who missed you!” Grinning, Ashley turned the mirror towards the awaiting Basilisk.

“ _Young Master!_ ” Persephone greeted, ecstatic.

She nearly shoved her face against the mirror, eager to speak with the Dark Lord who reciprocated the feeling. Ashley glanced down at the glass, spotting the expression of careful indifference Tom typically when he wasn’t aiming to intimidate people. But she knew him better than that. She caught on to the soft look in his eyes that he was attempting to obscure. His mask was a hard one to break through, but the two Hogwarts Heirs had an understanding. And Ashley knew how much Persephone meant to the psychotic man. Persephone might have not been his familiar like Nagini was, but the Basilisk had been the first serpent he’d ever formed a familial bond with. His kind attitude towards Persephone, as discrete as it was, was completely understandable.

“Oh, one last thing before you go, Tom.”Ashley hurried to say once the two were caught up with each other, “Do you know the Pierce family?”

“Yes, why?”

“Look, long story short, they’re the Dursleys of my world. I want to know how much of a threat they are here.”

“…They fought against me in the war but they’re some of the less competent members of the Order. They’re nothing to worry about.”

“Good to know, you can go now. Bye!”

As Ashley waved enthusiastically, Tom rolled his eyes and faded from view. She pouted and unceremoniously shoved the enchanted mirror back into her robe pocket, turning to face Alyssa and Mitchelle.

“He can be so rude at times.” She joked half-heartedly.

“ _Young Master wasn’t always like that._ ” Persephone piped up.

“ _Really?_ ”

“ _Young Master, albeit a bit sadistic, had a kind heart. If only he hadn’t lost his beloved mate, he wouldn’t have succumbed fully to the darkness in his mind…_ ”

“ _Mate…? Tom had a_ mate _?_ ”

“ _Why, yes! One simply couldn’t be found without the other, they were inseparable._ ”

“ _Is that so? What was his mate’s name?_ ”

“ _Henrik Stone._ ”

_Stone? That’s not a pure-blood name... A half-blood? Or Muggle-born, maybe?_

Ashley was suddenly reminded of the stranger that had caught the Dark Lord’s eye back in Diagon Alley. The man with the midnight black hair and bland blue eyes, Tom had looked at him with such familiarity. The Slytherin Heir had seemed so disappointed back then, and Ashley hadn’t had a clue as to why. Now she did, the stranger must have resembled Henrik in certain aspects of his features, but not enough to fully mislead Tom. It definitely explained why Tom had gotten so defensive all of a sudden. The topic of his soul-bonded was bound to be a fragile one. And well, Ashley had a terrible gut feeling that somehow, Dumbledore had something to do with the missing man.

“ _What happened to him?_ ”

“ _I do not know. Young Master only said that his mate had left him… That was the first time I’d ever saw him cry…_ ”

“ _…Is that what you meant earlier when you said that his soul would never be truly whole?_ ”

Persephone nodded, her serpentine eyes conveying the sympathy she held for Tom. Ashley couldn’t ever imagine unexpectedly losing either of her soul-bonded without reason. Even just a day apart from them was horrible. Having them ripped away from her would have broken her, just as what had happened to Tom.

“Ash, what’d she say?” Alyssa inquired.

“…Tom Riddle had a mate, his soul-bonded, I’m sure.” Ashley murmured.

“He what?!” Alyssa and Mitchelle jaws dropped simultaneously.

“That’s what Persephone told me… She said that Tom was pretty much a good person, as much as he could be, at least, until he lost Henrik Stone.” Ashley explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What…happened?” Mitchelle frowned.

“She doesn’t know.” Ashley shrugged weakly.

Her thoughts were straying far from the matter at hand but still much related. Her mind was exploring the possibilities of what could have caused Henrik’s disappearance. The only thing she came up with was _Dumbledore_. Every single thing always led back to him, didn’t they? It only made sense. The permanent departure of a soul-bonded would leave the other half vulnerable, which meant that at that time, Tom would have been at his worst; powerless against the ideas that Dumbledore had wanted to plant in his head. Maybe that had been the reason why Tom had been reckless enough to split his soul and create a Horcrux, and eventually, several of them.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking…that we need to find out more. Something just doesn’t seem right about this.”

“Let’s ask around then. I’m sure there are people who remember Henrik.”

“I’m sure there are. Let’s start with the most obvious one though, the Basilisk standing right in front of us, maybe?”

“Right… _Persephone, could you tell us more about Henrik?_ ”

The Basilisk happily agreed to recount the story of Henrik and Tom. Henrik Stone, like Ashley had guessed, was indeed a Muggle-born wizard who had skills that far surpassed those of pure blood. He had grown up alongside Tom at the orphanage, being the only child there who had understood how different Tom was and had absolutely refused to bully him for it like the other children had done. The two stayed by each other’s sides, even when they were sorted into different Houses (Tom in Slytherin, Henrik in Hufflepuff). They had outright shocked the whole school with their relationship, seeing as they were total opposites most of the time, but neither cared about what others thought. They were _happy_ , until the point of Henrik’s vanishing. According to Persephone, this took place just a week before Moaning Myrtle’s incident. What a curious coincidence _that_ was.

The Golden Trio later left the Chamber with the diary and ring no longer in their possession, instead replaced with questions and theories about the cryptic past. Yet another problem had been presented to them. It seemed like it was a never-ending cycle of confusion but they were Marauders, after all. As far as they knew, solving the mysteries of the past was part of the job description, just as the original group had discovered the secrets of Hogwarts.

It was about time they had their own little adventures that _didn’t_ require them risking their lives for the most part.


	7. Traitor Amongst Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for uploading months later than I should have. Senior high has been an outright mess but I made it through my first sem so there's that, at least. I have two more chapters ready so I'll be able to update once a week again. After that though... We'll see lol
> 
> By the way, just a little forewarning. There's gore in this chapter so if you're not comfortable with that, I suggest you skip the last few paragraphs.

Trudging back to the castle after a visit to the resident Hogwarts half-giant, Ashley narrowed her eyes in thought. Hagrid had attended Hogwarts with Tom and, by extension, Henrik. So, Ashley had been sure that Hagrid must have known a few things about the couple, and he did. Not only had he met Henrik, he apparently was the Hufflepuff’s closest friend. Their friendship was the reason Tom had been aware of Aragog. Being soul-bonded, Tom and Henrik hid absolutely nothing from one another, and didn’t that take Ashley on a guilt trip.

The most interesting thing that Hagrid had revealed was that Henrik had been aware of Tom’s desire to make a Horcrux. Two, actually, because Tom had outright refused to live without his soul-bonded but of course, Henrik was against the idea of splitting their souls. The disagreement about the topic had caused one of the fights they scarcely had. It had taken less than half an hour to make up and then, Henrik found out that the idea of Horcruxes had been planted by Dumbledore. Hagrid claimed to have not known much about it but Henrik had a talk with Dumbledore and coincidentally, the Hufflepuff’s disappearance took place only a day later. With that said, Ashley figured that her main theory was plausible now more than ever, that Dumbledore had gotten rid of Henrik to secure Tom’s fall from the grips of sanity.

The Potter Heiress huffed and continued on her trek to her dorm, absentmindedly stroking a finger along Moko’s scales. He curled around her wrist and squeezed comfortingly, noting the witch’s distress. The corner of her lips tipped upwards in a small smile as she thanked the tiny serpent. The moment was robbed from her when her glasses vanished all of a sudden, replaced by a large hand shielding her sight.

“I know it’s you, Freddie.”

Of course she knew who the hand belonged to. Fred had developed the habit recently, while George chose to greet her by lifting her up by the waist. If they were anyone else, they would have been met with the end of her wand for stressing her out each time. But since they were her favorite twins, they could get away with it (most of the time, at least).

“Where’s your other half?” She asked, pulling Fred’s hand away from her eyes.

“Making sure that a certain someone doesn’t sell us out.” He answered nonchalantly.

While Ashley processed his words, he took the opportunity to personally return her glasses and place it back on her face. He knew she’d understood when her eyes turned sharp, her lips pursing into a thin line.

“Say that again.” She gritted out.

“Little raven,” Fred purred, “I fear we have a traitor amongst friends.”

“Is that so? _Who_?”

“Come with me, I’ll show you.”

Fred gently grabbed Ashley’s hand, placing it in the crook of his arm, and led her through the many hallways of the school. With her mind clouded by simmering rage, she belatedly realized that they were nearing Dumbledore’s office. They stopped just before they rounded the final corner, confusing her until she sensed the presence of another and the silencing ward erected. Fred bent at the waist and reached down for what appeared to be _her cloak_ (she wasn’t even going to ask how he got hold of it). He ushered her underneath the invisible cloth and followed suit, turning to grin at his brother. George reciprocated and pulled the Potter Heiress to stand in front of him and his twin so that she was able to see the scene he had been watching earlier on.

There she was, the traitor Fred and George had caught, _Alexandra_ , talking to none other than Dumbledore. They obviously felt safe having the conversion out in the open. After all, most of the students were spending the weekend in Hogsmeade while the ones who weren’t preferred to steer clear from the headmaster’s office.

Ashley drew in a sharp breath as her vision turned red, her hand twitching for her wand. She was mentally listing every single painful curse she knew, Moko hissing in accordance to the anger slowly unleashing her dark side. Wasn’t there Black blood within the Potters? Because Ashley felt it in that moment, the infamous Black madness her godfather and soul-bonded possessed, it was in the process of consuming her. Her eyes glowed like the Dark Lord’s favorite spell (aside from the Cruciatus) as her magic dangerously sparked around her. She had half a mind to rip the cloak off and confront Alexandra right then and there. As if sensing her emotions (though, maybe they did), the twins each put a hand on her lower back, silently telling her to use their touch as comfort.

“As far as we know,-” Fred began.

“-and we know quite a lot,-” George boasted.

“-she hasn’t been able to tell Dumbledore anything at all.”

“We’ve done our very best to make sure of it. We’re your knights, after all.”

Ashley had no reason not to trust the twins’ word. If Alexandra had already revealed anything about the secret dealings of the Marauders, Dumbledore would have acted as soon as possible. They couldn’t have had a private conversation in his office; otherwise, Phineas would have informed Sirius and Remus in an instant. And anyway, it wasn’t like the twins wouldn’t have foreseen the whole thing. They weren’t Seers, that had been established, but Ashley still didn’t know _what_ they were. That was a conversion that would need to happen sooner rather than later, but definitely not now. They had other, more urgent things to attend to.

Ashley continued to eavesdrop on the conversation between her two enemies (because a traitor was nothing less than that). She clenched her jaw when she heard Alexandra explicitly agree to be the old goat’s spy. Before the topic could venture any further than that, Ashley purposely cast a new spell she’d learn down the other side of the hallway, mimicking the sound of footsteps. Alexandra and Dumbledore were quick to separate, the Hufflepuff hurrying past the concealed trio as the headmaster retreated back into his office.

“My knights, huh?” Ashley mused, slipping away from underneath the cloak as she brought up the term the twins used earlier.

“Yes, your knights.” They synchronized.

“See, you’re the Gryffindor Heiress.” Fred stated.

“That technically makes you royalty, doesn’t it?” George asked rhetorically.

“You can’t deny that, you’re even going to co-own this castle.” Fred defended.

“Yeah, I guess…” Ashley laughed lightly, “Well, my knights, you have done beautifully.”

The distinct amusement in her smile steadily morphed into something ruthless as she pondered over what would was needed to be done to Alexandra. Betrayal was not a misdeed that could be so easily forgiven, especially not to Ashley. It had led to the destruction of her family, so Alexandra would be rightfully punished for her actions. Ashley just had to think of _how_.

“Whatever shall we do with the rat?”

“What do you think, little raven?”

“Should we hurt her?”

“Maybe, use an Unforgivable?”

“Or…feed her to the Basilisk?”

Ashley quite honestly felt like she was in one of those cartoons she used to watch so much of. Usually, the main character had a battle of morals with a small demon on one shoulder and an angel on another. But nope, Ashley had two demons instead of one, each offering a way she could hurt the person who’d done her wrong. She _would_ say that Fred and George were a bad influence on her, but it wasn’t like she hadn’t already been thinking of any of the options she’d been given.

“Well, I’m sure poor Persephone must be starving in the Chamber… There aren’t many options for food down there.” She considered, pouting mockingly.

“A marvelous choice.”

“I think it’s time we have a little…confrontation of sorts. I have the best idea.”

“When shall we execute your plan?”

“We can’t give her more opportunities to go behind our backs. We deal with her _today_.”

Ashley appointed the two redheads to watch over Alexandra for the day and lead her to the ‘meeting’ that they had planned when the time was right. The Potter Heiress was sure they would know when that was. Separating from the twins, she searched for the missing two-thirds of the Golden Trio. She found them with their respective soul-bonded and familiars by the wrecked fountain in the courtyard. She updated them on the situation and suffice to say, neither couple was at all happy with Ashley’s findings, especially Mitchelle and Cedric. Loyalty was a famed Hufflepuff trait, among other things, and they were disappointed to have been acquainted with someone who had brought dishonor upon their House name.

“I’ll meet you outside the Room of Requirement in a bit.” Ashley instructed, “Gather everyone while I go get something, and don’t tell them anything yet.”

Mitchelle, Cedric, Alyssa, and Draco obliged and set off to collect the rest of the Marauders. While they were busy with that, Ashley headed to the Room of Requirement and summoned the room where the fifth Horcrux made was hidden in. She sorted through the mess until she found the cabinet containing Ravenclaw’s diadem. Her scar warmed, reacting and calling out to the presence of Tom’s soul shard. She retrieved it, carefully stuffing it inside her trusty satchel, and left the chaotic room. Just as she did, her friends arrived in one huddled up group. She greeted them shortly and paced the hallway, thinking of the place where the DA had trained. When the doors of the room appeared, she welcomed the company inside and proceeded to enact her plan.

“Wait, you want us to what?” Neville asked, furrowing his eyebrows in question.

To his credit, he didn’t look put out with the idea of swearing an Unbreakable Vow, something that wasn’t to be taken lightly as it could cause instant death. Surprised, maybe, but definitely not opposed to the idea as Ashley thought he would be. The others seemed to feel the same way, though perhaps it didn’t really matter because the whole thing was simply an act to catch Alexandra off guard.

“Take an Unbreakable Vow; swear that you’ll never betray this group, this _family_.” Ashley emphasized.

“This is completely unnecessary!” Alexandra suddenly burst out.

“It’s not that I don’t trust all of you, I do, but I need the reassurance that all of you will be loyal no matter what. I can’t have anyone risking our safety.” Ashley crossed her arms, internally rolling her eyes.

“No, this is too much.” Alexandra protested, “We can’t-”

“Why not?” Ai intervened, “I think it’s a great idea, actually. I’ll take the Vow.”

Murmurs of agreement filled the space as the Marauders, all except for the Peter Pettigrew counterpart, voiced their positive opinions on the matter. The Golden Trio, along with Cedric and Draco, shared looks when they noticed that the aforementioned rat of the group discretely began to panic.

“I won’t-!” Alexandra exclaimed.

“Alex, why are you so against this?” Heaven frowned.

“I-well-because-” Alexandra stumbled with her words.

“Because she’s already planning on giving us up.” Alyssa butted in, giving in to the strong urge to glare heatedly.

Answering her statement were various exclamations of utter disbelief and outrage at such a blatant revelation of the Hufflepuff’s treachery.

“T-that’s not-!” Alexandra stuttered out.

“Isn’t it?” Ashley coldly interrupted, “Did you really think you’d get away with this? I heard you earlier, you know. You agreed to spy on us for Dumbledore.”

The gazes of those present focused solely on a red Alexandra as she attempted to defend herself from their judgment. But before she could construct a full sentence, Maia’s anger had reached its peak.

“Alex, what the bloody hell were you thinking?!”

“Look, Dumbledore said-”

“We don’t wanna hear it! After _everything_ , why the bloody hell would you believe anything that old man says?!”

Maia threateningly stepped forward, causing Alexandra to step back in fear. Alexandra turned to run away, as it was the only logical option to save her life, and found herself at wand point. Fred and George had anticipated her desire to escape and had slowly moved towards the back of the group sometime during the conversation to intercept her. With deadly smirks, they tilted their heads simultaneously, indicating for her to face the others once more. When she did, yet another wand was pointed at her, this time belonging to the Potter Heiress.

“… _Obliviate._ ”

Alexandra gained a misty look in her eyes as the spell worked its magic on her. She blinked a few times before slowly surveying the formed crowd around her. Ashley, having pocketed her wand and assumed an understanding facade, readily informed her that she was not expected to take the Vow if she didn’t want to. Ashley dismissed the confused Hufflepuff and watched her walk away, glaring at her form in the process.

“Fred, George, if you please.” The Potter Heiress nodded her head.

“We’re on it, little raven.” Fred and George grinned.

They shadowed Alexandra, disappearing along with her as she left the room. Ashley heaved a sigh and faced the remaining Marauders. She sensed their distress and wanted nothing more than to comfort each one of them, but what could she do? She couldn’t very well travel back in time to prevent Alexandra from turning against them. If Ashley did decide to do that, it was only a matter of time before the Hufflepuff would choose to betray them again.

“What do we do now?” Dominic asked, glancing around.

“She really agreed to spy on us for _Dumbledore_.” Maia scoffed angrily.

“I can’t believe she really thinks _we’re_ in the wrong here.” Cora complained, Blaise backing her up with a degrading insult towards Alexandra’s poor decision.

Soon enough, the others followed in the footsteps of those who had spoken out, also lashing out through incredulous comments and such.

“I don’t really want to tell you this,” Ashley quietly intercepted, “but you know what we have to do here. Dumbledore’s gotten to her head somehow. We can’t keep _Obliviate_ -ing her, nor can we exclude her from meetings. Both her and Dumbledore will become suspicious.”

They didn’t need the kind of attention that would draw the group. The plan was, in able to find the blasted Tree of Life, they had to visit the Forbidden Forest frequently in order to map the area out. The map would be carted down with the same charms used in the Marauder’s Map and duplicated for each new-generation Marauder, with the original copy being added on to the aforementioned Marauder’s Map. They had Hagrid to help out with exploring the forest but no one else. And that was unfortunate because the forest was quite obviously a large place. It was obviously going to take a long time.

“Then we get rid of her, simple as that.” Thalia shrugged nonchalantly, interrupting Ashley’s train of thought.

“H-how do we do that?” Neville asked, biting his lip.

“…Leave that to me.” Ashley answered, her mind already solidifying a plan.

A moment of silence passed to let her words sink in with the others, all internally accepting the… _incident_ that would soon befall their former friend.

“Now that that’s over with, what were you saying about the Vow?”

“Oh, uh, nothing, I was bluffing. I don’t actually expect any of you to bind yourselves with a Vow.”

“Well, we said we agreed to it, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, we’ll take a Vow. It’d be an extra precaution for the future. I read in a book somewhere that a Vow would cancel out magic that would otherwise force the taker to break it.”

“Did that book happen to be from the Restricted Section?”

Red as a strawberry, Ai only laughed and winked, successfully easing the tension within the group. Drawing the attention back to the Vow they so easily agreed to, Ashley urged the Marauders to think twice about their decision. After some light consideration on their part, they were still all in agreement. However, Ashley hadn’t prepared actual wording for the Vow and they didn’t have a witness. Both were vital parts of the Vow-taking, which meant that it had to be rescheduled for another day (with Snape as the probable witness). The Marauders claimed that they were all willing to wait and thus, their meeting was adjourned.

Later that night, Mitchelle lied wide awake in her bed, waiting patiently for the telltale sign of someone calling her mirror. When she felt the item warm up in her hand, she shot up into a sitting position and quietly, yet hurriedly, slipped out of bed. Grabbing her wand, she tiptoed over to a slumbering Alexandra and unceremoniously jostled her awake.

“Mitch, what are you doing?” Alexandra muttered blearily.

“Ashley’s called an emergency meeting. We need to go.” Mitchelle rushed.

“But didn’t we already have one earlier?”

“We did, but she said that she may have already found where the Tree of Life is.”

Seeing the way Alexandra’s eyes lit up at receiving the information, Mitchelle no longer felt sympathy for her, only anger and disgust. The short-haired brunette deserved what was coming her way; she had disgraced her House and its founder. Mitchelle didn’t bother waiting for her and went on ahead, sure that she would be trailing after her.

“Isn’t this Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom?”

“It is, yeah.”

“What are we doing here?”

“For the sake of privacy, come on.”

The two Hufflepuffs entered the haunted lavatory, only to be met with the raised wands of Ashley and Alyssa. Alexandra shouted in alarm but luckily, a silencing ward had already been erected. Before she could run like the coward she was, Alyssa kicked her feet from right under her, causing her to crash to the ground. The Golden Trio surrounded her, ignoring Myrtle who was watching from the sidelines and giggling morbidly at the scene.

“ _Incarcerous_!”

Ropes shot out from the tip of Mitchelle’s wand, fully binding Alexandra’s body. The traitor squirmed in a futile attempt to free herself but really, if she somehow miraculously did, the other two girls were ready to hex her unconscious. Her screams were muffled through the gag in her mouth but she tried her best to plead with her captors using her frightened eyes.

“Shut _up_ , or else I’ll hurt you even more, you two-faced bitch.” Alyssa snarled.

A pathetic whimper was all Alexandra could muster as a response. Rolling her eyes, Ashley revealed the entrance to the Chamber and flicked her wand, dragging Alexandra along the floor with her magic. The Potter Heiress gave Alyssa the privilege to push the girl down the slide, the Golden Trio following shortly after. They traveled through the darkness and relished in the overflowing panic they sensed from Alexandra. Arriving at the Chamber, Ashley called out for its resident Basilisk.

“ _Young Mistress, have you brought me a snack?_ ”

Ashley nodded mutely and turned her gaze towards a horrified Alexandra. Per the Potter Heiress’ request, Mitchelle ripped the gag off her fellow Hufflepuff’s mouth and pushed her forward. Alexandra desperately began begging for her life, which was a sight Mitchelle couldn’t bear to see. Mitchelle shut her eyes and lowered her head, while Alyssa continued to stare with a hateful gaze, although carefully keeping her expression void of any emotion. Ashley clenched her jaw and gripped her wand as tightly as she could, focusing on the calming presence of her familiar around her neck. She raised her wand and let Alexandra dangle horizontally in mid-air.

“ _Feed._ ”

Persephone hissed joyfully as she lunged forward at the wailing Hufflepuff. Ashley would never forget the guttural screech Alexandra let out as the Basilisk sunk her teeth into her torso, concealing her feet up to her stomach within its mouth. It would have been better if Alexandra had died upon contact, but she didn’t. Instead, she trashed and shrieked and sobbed in immeasurable pain. Eventually, the copious amount of venom did kick in. Alexandra fell limp in the Basilisk’s grip, her form deathly pale with the light having faded from her eyes. Ashley could only stare blankly as her former friend was thrown upwards like a ragdoll and consumed fully.

When Persephone leaned down to express her gratitude for the fresh meal she received, Ashley couldn’t tear her eyes away from her red-stained teeth and the steady streams of dark liquid dripping down her jaw. There was blood pooling on the floor and when Ashley inhaled, she was immediately hit with the thick liquid’s harsh scent. She swallowed and waved her wand, conjuring up a flask to collect some of the blood before thoroughly cleaning the mess. She placed a gentle hand on Persephone’s head before leaving the way she came, with Alyssa and Mitchelle trailing closely behind. The event of the night weighed heavily on their minds, just like Alexandra’s wand in Ashley’s pocket.

The deed was done.


	8. Burden to Bear

_“No, please, I don’t want to die! I’m sorry, please!”_

It was cold, and dark, so very dark… There was nothing else but that voice, that haunting, daunting voice… Where was it coming from?

_“You can’t do this, you can’t!”_

It echoed loudly through the emptiness of the void, strongly laced with terror and desperation, accompanied by a forceful wave made from the tears the voice had shed. Then, finally, there was a flash of color… Red, the gruesome shade of the blood flooding the entirety of what had been earlier assumed to be an unenclosed room…

_“No, no-AHHH!!!”_

Ashley woke up drenched in cold sweat, heavily gasping for some much needed air. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, throwing the covers away from her trembling form as she slumped against the headboard of her bed. Hugging her knees close to her chest, she moved to shut her eyes but was quick to snap them wide open again. The memory from more than a week ago had yet to leave her alone, sneaking into the forefront of her mind even when she tried to block it out. Alexandra’s bloodcurdling screams still rang through her ears every time she was left on her own, nothing around to distract her from the damnation she’d forced upon someone she had used to trust.

“ _Breathe, little one…_ ”

Ashley fell out of the dreadful trance she’d involuntarily entered. Relieved to have something to divert her attention to, she welcomed her familiar in a loving embrace. Per his request, he was enlarged back to his actual size and cocooned her in the warmth she desperately desired at the time. He rested his head on top of hers and squeezed her in a way that was meant to be comforting. She appreciated his efforts, yet she couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t enough. She needed something else, _someone_ else (two, really), but she kept her thoughts to herself and quietly basked in her familiar’s caring attention.

“ _It’s alright, little one, you’re alright. You only did what you had to do..._ ”

“ _Did I really?_ ”

“ _Yes, you did. She was a_ traitor _, and she would have gotten you and several others killed, or_ worse _. She’s no different than the rat that betrayed your family._ ”

“ _...Imagine what Remus and Sirius would say when they discover I’m a murderer. Think they’ll still want me around?_ ”

“ _Don’t say that. You know very well that nothing on earth could make your mates not want to have you around. They love you very much, little one._ ”

_Maybe, but not for long…_

Sighing internally, Ashley pushed aside the depressing thought and wiggled out of Moko’s hold, all the while refusing to comment. Faking a genuine response would be useless against the serpent; he knew her all too well, he could sense a sliver of distress from a mile away. She shook her head and peaked beyond the curtains surrounding her bed. She’d had to close them up every night to avoid confrontations if one of her dorm mates were to wake and witness one of her nightly ‘episodes’. That was a talk she really didn’t want to have with anyone at the moment. So, for extra precaution, she had a silencing ward erected right where she slept. The others were better off not knowing about the trauma that fateful night had caused her. It was her burden to bear as the one who had made the decision in the first place.

Realizing that it was barely an hour after midnight, she retreated back to her bubble of solitude (not counting Moko’s presence). Despite Moko’s best attempts, she was unable to get any of the sleep she had been missing on. She spent the remaining hours of dusk before dawn reading through the letters, all from her soul-bonded, that she’d accumulated within the time span of only a few days. With how… _upset_ she’d been recently, she had taken to snubbing Sirius and Remus every time they tried to contact her. Obviously, the older Marauders hadn’t reacted to that very well. They bombarded Ashley with letters every chance they got, each one increasing in written panic and worry, none of which she had the courage to reply to. What a Gryffindor she was…

Eventually, as the time for breakfast drew closer, she was forced to get up and get dressed. She was then faced with the dilemma of needing to hide just how awful she looked. There were dark bags under her eyes, her pale skin was closer to being sickly than natural, and she had thinned back down in a not so healthy way. In short, she was seemingly reverting back to how she looked while in the care of the Dursleys. Gazing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, she thought herself to be pathetic to have been affected so much that she had let her health deteriorate. She shook her head and waved her wand, placing a strong glamour over herself. Satisfied, she let her familiar curl around her arm and set off for the great hall.

The large room was nearly deserted by students and staff alike. Ashley recognized some of the very few early birds as they were in the same House. As far as she knew, none of her fellow lions appreciated waking earlier than half an hour before breakfast. But apparently, Percy and Ginny did. Aside from them and a small number of random students, the only professors present were McGonagall and Snape. Unfortunately for Ashley, those two had made it their mission to watch over her as soon as they had noticed the odd switch from her usually cheery behavior.

Pointedly ignoring their frequent glances, she mentally prepped herself for the day. Acting like everything was alright was a strenuous effort on her part, and she’d had to do it for more than a couple of days. It was tiring her out indefinitely. Sniffling, she idly drummed her fingers on the wooden table as she waited for the other Marauders to arrive. However, a screech broke her out of her reverie. The source of the noise was Gryphon, Sirius and Remus’ messenger owl. The Potter Heiress nervously chewed her bottom lip and accepted the parchment the owl vehemently offered.

****_Bambi, darling, we’re about ready to storm Hogwarts just to talk to you. The only thing that’s stopping us from doing exactly that is if something had happened to you, Minerva would have alerted us already. Still, we don’t know how you’re fairing there and your passive behavior these past few days certainly hasn’t helped our nerves. Numerous letters and nothing… You’ve no idea how worried we are._ ** **

****_What happened, Bambi? Are you okay, are you hurt? Was it something we did or said in our letters?_ ** **

****_Please… Please talk to us, Ashley._ ** **

\- ****_Moony and Padfoot ♥_****

****_P.S. Gryphon will most likely not leave until you send him off with a response. He’s very smart, you know?_ ** **

Ashley grimaced upon seeing her name written in Sirius’ messy script. That was solid confirmation that he and Remus were speaking the truth about wanting to rush to Hogwarts for their peace of mind. It really was tempting to write back, especially with Gryphon staring expectantly, but Ashley couldn’t… She _wouldn’t_ do it. The fear of them finding out the sin she’d committed and abandoning her was overwhelming, forcing the darkest thoughts of her mind to take over. Just like she did with the others she had received, she folded the parchment and stuffed it in her pocket for safekeeping. Yet another letter to add to her pile…

She gently shooed Gryphon away, groaning exasperatedly when he refused to move. A hand landed on her shoulder, making her jump and whip her head to the side. She was met with the gazes of her friends, each one frowning at her exchange with her soul-bonded’s owl. She smiled reassuringly and turned away, narrowing her eyes at the stubborn creature who confidently glared back. With Moko whispering encouragements in her ear, she gave in and retrieved parchment from her satchel. Jotting down a short note for Sirius and Remus, she handed it over to the owl. Gryphon hooted, displeased with the short reply, but proceeded to fly off anyway. Just in the nick of time, Dumbledore arrived after the owl was well out of sight.

“I didn’t think that I would have to explain how dire it is you all avoid entering the Forbidden Forest,” Dumbledore announced once everyone was gathered, “but I fear my warning fell on deaf ears.”

He then levitated for all to see the reason for his sudden message about the Forbidden Forest. Ashley drew in a sharp breath at the sight of what remained of Alexandra’s wand. The staff had been searching long and hard for the missing Hufflepuff since the morning after her clandestine execution. The portraits had claimed to know nothing, saying that they only saw her heading into the forest alone. Dumbledore divulged that Hagrid had found the shattered pieces of the Hufflepuff’s wand deep in the woods, omitting the fact that it was on blood-stained ground like Ashley had planted it to be. The revelation inspired a wave of horrified gasps and hushed gossiping. The only ones unaffected were the Marauders, though obviously, they kept that to themselves. They had to act as if they were mourning their lost friend, and in a way, they were. They were mourning the idea of what could have been had Alexandra stayed true.

Ashley fidgeted with her fingers, drowning out Dumbledore’s faux lamenting. She only focused back in on reality when the food appeared. Alas, she had no appetite for any of it. She ate as little as was possible, avoiding the twins’ dismayed looks and her friends’ confused glances. After the meal, which wasn’t much eating on her part, she got herself ready for the first class of the day. She wasn’t blind to the sympathy sent her way from her peers all around. It was gonna be a long day...

The sky eventually turned dark, marking the last class (except for the Astronomy of selective years) and meal of the day. Ashley could be found lying on her bed, still wide awake despite her tired state. There had been many attempts but her soul simply refused to rest. Usually, it was the sleeping part that was difficult, not _falling_ asleep. Ashley didn’t know why her body was going against her this time. But then, just as she glanced at the open window, the distinct sound of a howling werewolf, _her_ werewolf, resonated from outside. She forgot… How could she have forgotten? It was the night of full moon. No wonder Remus seemed so restless in the letters he wrote; his cub’s lack of contact with him must have driven him mad. And there laid the reason for Ashley’s soul’s lack of interest in sleeping. It was reaching out for her soul-bonded.

“ _Little one, what’s wrong?_ ” Moko quizzed when she dug herself deeper into the mattress.

“ _Moony’s here… Obviously, Padfoot is too._ ” She muttered under her breath.

“ _Then, what are we waiting for? Shouldn’t we be rushing to the forest?_ ”

“ _I… I’m not sure if I can face them right now…_ ”

“ _What are you on about? You_ have _to face them; they didn’t apparate all the way here for nothing!_ ”

Ashley clenched her eyes shut and curled into a ball, throwing the duvet over her small form. Unfortunately, Moko had the ability to slither under her makeshift shield. She blinked one eye open and glared at her familiar, despite knowing that he was only looking out for her and her well-being.

“ _They’re calling out for you, you know they are._ ” He insisted, “ _You don’t have to tell them about what happened, but you can’t ignore them because of it… You need them, little one, and they need you._ ”

A moment of silence passed before Ashley made her decision. Begrudgingly, she rolled out of bed and grabbed her cloak, hooking it over her head as Moko latched onto her leg. She trudged out of the dorm and to the edge of the Forbidden Forest where she figured her soul-bonded would be waiting. She guessed right. Padfoot and Moony were behind the shrubbery, hidden for those who weren’t looking for them. Moony was pacing agitatedly, growling whenever Padfoot attempted to stall him, while the Animagus himself seemingly looked just as impatient. Both were obviously waiting for Ashley to appear like she did the last time they’d been together in the forest.

Still under the guise of the cloak, she hesitantly crept towards the two transformed men. Moony, being the more sensitive creature, was the first to catch her distinct scent (something akin to chocolate, Remus once mentioned). He immediately lunged for her, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. He pawed the cloak off of her and nuzzled her neck, keeping her firmly pinned to the forest floor. She couldn’t help but let out a laugh, more so when Padfoot joined in. Warm hands then seized her, pulling her up to rest against a lean chest, with Moony still cuddling into her side.

“You’re okay…” Sirius murmured softly, his lips pressed to the top of her head.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked innocently.

“Don’t give me that. You know _exactly_ why.” Sirius deadpanned.

Ashley guiltily averted her gaze, choosing to keep her mouth shut. Unfortunately for her, there was no escape. Moony was constantly seeking her attention, blatantly ignoring her attempts to refuse eye contact, Sirius was too damn stubborn, and both were insanely too caring. Not that she really minded on a daily basis, it was just inconvenient for that single moment.

“Tell us what’s wrong, Bambi… Let us help you.”

The vivid sincerity within Sirius’ expression was her breaking point. She could no longer bear the weight of it all and so, for the first time in years, she let herself break down. All of the tears she’d forced back streamed their way down her flushed cheeks, all the emotions she’d kept bottled up made their presence known. Moony whined in alarm while Sirius immediately wrapped his arms around her even tighter, worry and concern for his pup the only thing on his mind. Seeing her upset had always been one of the most heartbreaking things Sirius had ever had the chance of experiencing. It seemed so wrong seeing her without her blinding smile.

“Oh, Merlin… No offense to Moony, but I kind of wish Remus was here. He was always better with comforting than I was…” Sirius muttered while rubbing her back.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Ashley answered hoarsely, “Just…hold me, please.”

“If that’s what you want, darling.”

Despite his claims, Sirius was more than well-equipped in regards to making someone feel better. He knew exactly what to say and do. He whispered simple reassurances while pressing light kisses to her cheek, the warmth of his lips enough to ground her for the time being. He tenderly wiped away her tears once her sobbing was reduced to quiet sniffling. All the while, Moony closely circled them, understandably feeling much more protective than he usually did over his pack.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sirius eventually asked.

Ashley shook her head in response, rubbing her eyes lightly as she leaned sideways against his chest with Moony’s head resting heavily on her lap. She was weak, incredibly so. They would be fighting a war, people were going to die, some necessarily by her hand. She had to be ready for it, but she hadn’t known that it would be that hard. It was pathetic how she was all talk. She had imagined hurting so many of those who had hurt her as well. But when it really came down to it, could she?

_Maybe it’s just the first kill that’s hard… Tom would know, wouldn’t he?_

With that thought in mind, she made the plan to talk with the aforementioned Dark Lord, perhaps to relieve herself of the guilt she carried. But, she second-guessed her decision. Tom had killed (and tortured) many people over the short span of his Hogwarts years, but who was she to assume that he felt bad for any of them? He was apathetic towards those he considered to be of no use to him. The wizards and witches he had killed, except for a few select, they could have offered him nothing. What could he regret about getting rid of such nuisances to his cause?

Ashley snapped out of the reverie she entered when a distant glow in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She snapped her gaze towards it and blinked, surprised, at the pentagram carved onto one of the trees. It retained its glow for a second or two before vanishing completely off the bark. The symbol reappeared on a tree a few ways behind the first one, disappearing again once Ashley noticed it. This phenomenon was persistent, continuing on with each pentagram leading deeper into the forest.

“Wait, let me go for a minute…” Ashley struggled against Sirius’ arms, “Siri-”

“No…” The Animagus whined, counter-actively tightening his hold on her.

“There’s something over there!” She protested.

“Over where?” Sirius asked, puzzled.

Ashley huffed and nimbly slipped out of his arms, swerving away from Moon’s grabby paws. She stood to her feet and followed the path of magical glowing pentagrams, compelling Sirius and Moony to do the same. The symbols led the trio to a tall boulder almost covered in thick ivy. Despite Sirius’ cautionary piece of advice, Ashley approached the boulder and brushed parts of the plant life away, revealing the embedded markings on the stone’s rough surface.

“What do you think these are?” She asked, tracing one of the markings.

“I’m not sure…” Sirius frowned, “I thought I knew the forest well enough, but apparently, I don’t.”

Ashley hummed in thought and worked on removing the ivy, with Sirius and Moony eventually coming over to help. Once the stone was bared for all to see, she studied the markings closely and noted that they all converged at one point where a red, diamond-cut crystal was lodged. Tilting her head curiously, she reached into her pocket and cursed internally when she realized that she had left her wand behind. Sirius willingly handed over his and she stepped back from the boulder, aiming his wand at the crystal. It wasn’t the best match for her, not like her actual wand was, or like the Elder Wand would be (theoretically speaking), but it would do.

She called for her core and out came a burst of green light from the tip of the wand, a physical manifestation of her magic. It connected with the crystal, causing the blood-colored artifact to begin glowing. This spectacle spread through the markings until the stone’s surface was practically glowing in itself. From the bottom of the boulder, four trails of small pebbles appeared, leading far and away into different directions. Ashley was quick to deduce that they would most likely guide her to other boulders. She turned towards her soul-bonded, opening her mouth to speak, and promptly froze when she recognized the mischief in Sirius’ eyes, mirroring Moony’s excitement. She had momentarily forgotten that she was in the presence of the original Marauders, both of whom had lived to explore and solve mysteries (aside from the frequent pranking, of course).

_Guess that’s what we’re doing for tonight._


	9. Tom Riddle Has a Heart

Ashley laid stomach-down, lounging on the floor of her dormitory. Her legs casually swung in the air as she sketched a rough outline of the stones she’d found in the Forbidden Forest. She connected each one the exact ways the pebbles did, forming a large pentagram. She drew the points as the different colored crystals of the boulders placed on each spot. She began mentally selecting from her list of friends, assigning one to each point. However, she stopped and frowned when she noticed something…odd about the picture. Moko, watching from over her shoulder, was quick to comment about her sudden pause.

“ _What is it?_ ” He hissed curiously.

“ _I don’t know… I feel like it’s missing something._ ” Ashley replied, chewing on her bottom lip.

Due to a helpful flash of memory, she then remembered the first time she had been shown the magical symbol. Her hand moved on its own accord and in the middle of the pentagram, a rightful ‘X’ was plotted. She grinned, satisfied with her work, and pushed herself up from the floor. She put her things back in her trunk and pocketed her sketch just as an owl swept inside the room. Recognizing it as the Malfoys’ messenger owl, she gladly accepted the offered envelope and sent the owl on its way. She tore open the envelope and furrowed her eyebrows at the lack of parchment inside. Instead, what she found was a small silver key. Upon touching it, she was immediately overwhelmed by the uncomfortable feeling of using a portkey.

She was dropped on her back and forced to close her eyes to steady her spinning world. When she was confident her sight would be fine again, she opened her eyes and was met with a smirking Dark Lord hovering above her. He extended a generous hand, one she aggressively took hold of, and pulled her up to her feet.

“A warning would’ve been nice.” She grumbled, glaring heatedly.

“That wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun.” Tom chuckled.

He turned and walked away, leaving Ashley to survey her surroundings. She had been dropped in a grand suite that could have only belonged to wealthy pure-bloods who lived to show off, none other than the Malfoys. Moko, who had not stopped complaining until that particular moment, had been the one to notice the coiled individual in one corner of the room. No longer irritated, he slithered down Ashley’s persona and hurriedly asked her to cast _Engorgio_. She then watched him slither towards a cautious Nagini, blinking as the two serpents began to bond. The Potter Heiress smiled softly and shook her head before trailing over to where Tom was, plopping down cross-legged on the armchair next to his.

“Have you found the tree yet?” He asked upfront.

“If I did, I would have already told you.” Ashley snapped.

The search for the Tree of Life, fruitless as it was (mostly), was a definite sore subject, enough to bring out the temperamental aftereffect of her sleepless nights. Having spent time with her soul-bonded had only helped so much, especially since they weren’t entirely bonded. The nightmares of blood and murder were as present and vivid as ever.

Seeing Tom’s fleeting look of surprise, Ashley quietly apologized and slouched into her seat. The Slytherin Lord scrutinized her through slightly narrowed eyes but chose to say nothing _yet_. He called for a house-elf named Libby who had been tasked to prepare tea for him and his expected guest. Ashley graciously accepted the teacup and thanked Libby, earning a little squeak from the timid creature. Once the Hogwarts Heirs were left alone again, Tom leaned back and rested an ankle over one knee, drumming his free fingers on his leg.

“What’s happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t act so clueless. You’re not acting like your usual irritating self. That obviously means something’s wrong. Now, I’m going to ask again, _what happened_?”

“…Aw, you do care.”

“Don’t change the subject; you’re not getting out of this.”

Ashley averted her eyes but there was no escaping Tom’s fervent gaze. She eventually gave in after a half a minute of nothing but awkward silence and uncomfortable staring. She related her troubles to the attentive Dark Lord, describing each event in exact detail, beginning with learning about Alexandra’s betrayal and ending with carrying the immense guilt over her horrific actions and decisions.

“Have you talked to anyone?” Tom asked, his voice suspiciously soft.

“Aside from you and Moko? No, not really…” Ashley shrugged weakly.

“Then you should.” Tom insisted, “The first kill isn’t easy. You’ll need people who will help you move on from it and if you stop isolating yourself, you’ll see that you already _do_ have them. Your friends and family care for you, and they will no matter what you’ve done.”

“…That’s the wisest, kindest thing you’ve ever said.” Ashley joked half-heartedly, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it… I mean it, don’t you tell anyone about this, _ever_.”

Ashley knew that Tom was attempting to come off as threatening, but the fond amusement in his eyes betrayed him, alongside the smile he was obviously fighting back.

“One question though.”

“Go on.”

“Since we’re already talking about first kills…”

“Right, Myrtle Warrens… I…did regret it at first. It actually took me a few days to make my decision.”

Ashley hadn’t expected Tom to answer as genuinely as he did, but it was certainly very much appreciated. She felt that there was none who understood her like he did, who went through the same childhood trauma as she did (or was still going through, really). Their heart-to-heart chat was just what she needed.

“You get over it. Change the topic, quickly.”

“Alright, alright… I haven’t found the tree yet but I think I’m getting close.”

“Care to explain?”

“I am explaining, shush.”

“Don’t _shush_ me, brat.”

“Then don’t interrupt me. I snuck out last night and saw this strange boulder covered in vines. It had these weird markings that glowed when my magic hit it.”

“That is indeed strange. Was it just that one boulder?”

“No. There were trails of pebbles leading to multiple others. See, look…”

To prove her statement, Ashley dug into her pocket and retrieved the sketch she’d made earlier on. She unfolded the paper and eagerly showed it to Tom, pointing out that the boulders, connected by the pebbles, formed the symbol they’d been following as a hint towards the Tree of Life.

“You know what to do then.”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Good luck. The sooner you find the tree; the sooner we can visit your relatives.”

Tom’s grin, just as he said that one sentence, was the perfect paragon of all things evil and sinful. Ashley had no doubt that his thoughts mirrored it as well.

“I have another question.” She piped up.

“It’s nothing relevant to our topic, I’m just curious.” She continued after Tom’s indulgent hand wave, “See, it’s been on my mind that even with your incomplete soul, you seem to be sane. Well, as sane as you can be… Why is that?”

“You brought back my humanity…” Tom answered after a while, “You made me remember why I started my conquest…and for whom I started it for.”

His expression was carefully blank, disguising the inner turmoil he was going through with the memories clouding the forefront of his mind. Ashley went to comfort him but was interrupted by her scar warming up, almost up to the point where it began to burn. She reached up to gingerly touch it and was abruptly pulled into a vision of sorts.

There was a boy, midnight black hair with bright, blue, gold-specked eyes, arriving at her orphanage, the only _home_ she’d ever known at the time. A flash of purple, and suddenly, they were inseparable. Years of bonding and protecting each other from those _pathetic_ children, until the prospect of Hogwarts came. Everything around them changed, but they were somehow still the same. Their relationship only flourished further within the castle walls and then… He was gone, and she was empty all over again, but not quite. There was pain, desperation, bitterness, and so, so much anger… Was it ever going to end? What had Tom done wrong to deserve it all?

Ashley broke out of her stupor with a gasp. The warmth of her scar was slowly but surely fading back into nothing and it seemed like Tom had no idea what had just happened. That boy, so full of life and joy…was Henrik Stone, and she had been seeing through Tom’s eyes.

“Henrik…” She breathed out.

“…Persephone told you.” Tom deduced impassively, still not fully present himself.

“I didn’t want to bring him up so soon.” Ashley murmured, her tone apologetic in nature.

“It’s fine. It was a long time ago.”

“But you’re still not over it, _him_ , and that’s fine too… You loved him.”

“I still do. There will never be a time where I won’t… It hurts to know that he might not have felt as strongly.”

“How can you say that?”

There was absolutely _no chance_ that Henrik hadn’t loved Tom as strongly as Tom loved him. Ashley had the memories to back that fact up!

“He left me so willingly, and so suddenly. Our bond is barely there now but I can still feel him. He’s still alive somewhere. I don’t even need to know why he left; I just need to know if he’s happy… It’s all I ever wanted for him.”

And wasn’t that an interesting insight? Tom was a survivor; he had to have good instincts that he could trust to keep himself alive. If he, himself, felt that Henrik was still out there somehow, then he was most likely right. Dumbledore might not have killed Henrik, but he did something else, something worse to have been able to keep the Hufflepuff away for so long. Maybe it was the grief that prevented Tom from coming to the same conclusion, but either way, it seemed like Ashley had some more digging to do. Nobody deserved to have love forcibly taken away like that, not even Tom, as horrible as he’d been in the past (or still was, if the majority of the light side was asked).

“What are you-?!” Tom squawked, looking and sounding entirely too scandalized.

“You need a hug.” Ashley declared.

She secured her arms firmly around Tom’s torso, internally celebrating the fact that, aside from some minor squirming, he made no move whatsoever to shove her away. His hands hovered unsurely in the air before hesitantly resting on her upper back, patting lightly. Their little moment, however, was interrupted by Libby popping in unexpectedly. Tom hurriedly pulled away and glared at the house-elf, a feat which would have been much more intimidating if his cheeks weren’t tinted red.

In a panicked rush, Libby announced that the Death Eaters he sent on missions were waiting for him in his study to report their success. Nodding, he dismissed her and proceeded to leave Ashley alone, but not without warning her not to touch anything. As soon as the door shut, the Potter Heiress immediately approached the large bookshelf next to the fireplace. Yet not long after Tom left, there was a knock resounding from the door.

“My Lord? I have what you requested.”

_Is that Barty? Shit!_

Ashley frantically flailed around for a bit before she reached for pocket, cursing when she came up with nothing. She really ought to have tied that blasted wand to her wrist. Not that she desperately needed it, but she wasn’t as well-versed with wandless magic as much as she would have liked. Not enough to survive a full-on duel with Barty, at least. Ashley noted for future use that she had to work on her dueling skills since they were crucial to her endeavors. Lockhart’s Duelling Club was, as expected, completely and utterly useless. Sirius and Remus would definitely be more helpful.

Ashley froze in her spot as the door opened and one Barty Crouch Jr. entered. He carried with him a black, rectangular-shaped box, which suspiciously bore resemblance to the gift Tom had gotten her on her birthday. Barty’s dark, manic eyes swept across the area until they landed on her, still standing in front of the bookcase. There was a moment of shocked silence between them before he snapped out of his daze and pointed his wand out her, casting the first spell that came to his mind.

“ _Crucio!_ ”

It felt like everything was in slow motion. Fear spiked through Ashley as the most physically painful Unforgiveable hurled towards her. She shut her eyes, preparing for the torturous pain that was bound to hit her but…none came. She peeked through one eye, enough to get a glimpse of the disbelief present on Barty’s expression.

“How-?”

“ _Expelliarmus!_ ”

Barty was sent flying across the room, the spell having hit him directly on his chest. He crashed against the wall, landing right next to Moko and Nagini. Hissing, they wrapped around him, mimicking ropes to keep him from continuing his attack. Ashley cautiously made her way to the struggling wizard, tightly gripping her wand (which she had summoned while he was distracted) and pointing it at him. This action successfully caused him to cease all movement, but his vicious glare did not waver.

“I don’t wanna have to hurt you.” Ashley said.

“So you threw me against the wall.” Barty retorted sarcastically.

“Oh, _please_ … You’re a Death Eater, and the Dark Lord’s a sadistic asshole. I’m sure you’ve been through worse.” Ashley countered.

A chuckle broke through Barty’s angry exterior, amusement swimming vividly in his eyes. He knew the girl holding him at wand point was the Chosen One, Savior of the Wizarding World, the ever so famous Girl-Who-Lived. Her scar gave her identity away so easily; it was why he attacked in the first place. He thought that his Master would be pleased with him if he captured the girl for him, but she was… _different_ from what he had originally believed. Maybe Ashley Potter wasn’t as light as Dumbledore wanted…

Barty blinked as a hand appeared within his field of vision, the snakes binding him consecutively releasing their hold on him. His gaze traveled up the extended arm, watching Ashley raise both eyebrows expectantly. Smirking, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down, moving so that she was underneath him. He was quick to retrieve his wand and press the tip under her chin. Granted that it was a reckless thing to do (what, with the protective snakes surrounding them), but he was curious as to what she would do. Others would have started begging for their lives right then and there. Not her though. She merely scoffed and batted the offending weapon away.

“…Am I interrupting something?”

Ashley and Barty turned towards the threshold where Tom was standing, arms crossed over his chest as he observed the situation at hand. Before Barty could think of a response, he was rudely kicked off. Ashley stood, brushing down her clothes, and faced Tom with an innocent smile. He rolled his eyes and ordered Barty to get up as well, retrieving the box he had (because somehow, the box survived the events that had transpired, unharmed and still intact). The Death Eater was then dismissed. He left as easily as that, but not without sparing Ashley one last glance.

“You still haven’t told anyone I’m on your side?” The Potter Heiress piped up, plopping back into her seat.

“Not yet. I’m not dumb enough to believe that all of my followers will stay loyal to me. The knowledge of our allegiance will only be shared with my most trusted, most of which are still in Azkaban. I’d rather reveal it all in one go.” Tom reasoned.

“But your Death Eaters know they can’t touch me or any of the Marauders?”

“I told them that killing you would be my pleasure and no one else’s. And your Marauders? They won’t be harmed unless I explicitly say so.”

“That’s good, but I’ll be coming with to Azkaban. They’ll recognize me.”

“Not if you wear the proper attire. You’ll also be using an alias and your choice of appearance-altering spells.”

_Ohhh, that’ll be interesting, and I already have an identity in mind…_

“Okay then. So, who’s that for?”

“You say that as if you haven’t already guessed.”

Ashley smiled and shrugged, graciously accepting the box presented to her. Per Tom’s request, she approached the largest window in the room and moved the curtains aside. She dedicated a few moments to admire the beauty of the Malfoy Estate, containing radiant gardens, elegantly trimmed bushes, ornate sculptures, and a number of exquisite white peacocks. The sight had her wondering about her father and godfather’s shared childhood home, the Potter Manor and Estate, and what it could have looked like. She had no memories of the place. She never actually visited due to the ongoing war at the time. She sincerely hoped, though, that one day she would be able to. She was sure that her soul-bonded, especially Sirius, would love to show her around.

She pushed the window open and sat on the windowsill, opening Tom’s gift. Revealed inside was a flower partnering the one she had back in her dorm. This time, the plant yet to bloom was of a light golden coloration, planted in a matching gold pot. Similar to last time, there was an accompanying card. It identified the flower for Ashley, deeming it the Daylight Flame Carnation, blooming only under the sunlight and growing only on the same island as the Lunar Ice Rose. Ashley carefully took out the potted plant and held it with both hands, eagerly waiting for it to transform.

The carnation, influenced by the bright rays of the sun, slowly unfurled. The petals began to change color, gaining orange and red hues. They began to glow and flutter until each perfectly resembled a feral fire, properly showcasing the flower’s namesake. Wisps of flames circled its stem and flew overhead, intersecting and creating this cage-like appearance around the flower. Tilting her head curiously, Ashley reached out and touched the tip of one of the petals, gasping when she felt the warmth spread through her skin. It didn’t burn her but her finger did glow dimly like a dying ember.

“Thank you…” She murmured, receiving a hum of acknowledgement.

“Right. Well, unless you’re offering lunch, I should be heading back.”

Ashley hugged her new plant close to her chest and called for her familiar who begrudgingly latched onto her lithe frame. He settled his head on her right shoulder and proceeded to rave about his newfound bond with Nagini. Ashley giggled at his child-like behavior and affectionately patted his scales. Tom was in a similar predicament, Nagini having wrapped herself around his torso. Wanting to protect his reputation as a fearsome Dark Lord, he only allowed a small smile to show before summoning a useless ornament in the room and spelling it as a portkey. The item was then placed into Ashley’s hand, taking her along for another dizzying ride, but not before the Slytherin Lord snuck another thing into her pocket.

Ashley materialized back in her dorm with the aftereffects of using a portkey fortunately minimal. She levitated her carnation over to the windowsill supporting her rose before promptly collapsing on her bed, settling in for a nice, long nap. Facing her emotions was a tiring thing to do. She needed the rest, and anyway, the afternoon meal wasn’t for another hour or so. She had the time. However, something was preventing her from finding a comfortable position to sleep in. She shuffled through her pocket and found a shrunken book. Sitting up, she enlarged it and discovered it to be a book about Parselmagic, a topic she had been _dying_ to learn for quite some time. Grinning, she hurriedly opened the book and flicked through the pages, sleep suddenly far from her mind.

_I was right… Tom Riddle has a heart and I’ve crawled my way in._


	10. Shouldn't Have Said That

Ashley purposely strolled through the well-lit hallways of Hogwarts with her familiar, as per usual, draped across her shoulders. Much too busy sorting through her satchel, she let the castle’s magic guide her to her current destination, one of the many unused classrooms. Her reason for going there was that her tutoring sessions were held there. The students who needed and/or wanted tutoring had grown immensely since first year so the sessions had to move from the library. Madam Pince’s incessant shushing had gotten too much. It was fun though, helping the first years and her fellow second years (there were actually some older students as well since it was well known that Ashley ‘advance studied’). And of course, there was the added bonus of getting to differentiate potential allies from enemies. Maybe teaching would be the career path Ashley would take in the future. She was doing more than well enough with her studies, and it would be such a pity to leave the castle she was bound to inherit.

“Oh, sorry, I-” She stopped mid-sentence, recognizing the person she’d just bumped into, “Parkinson.”

“Potter.” Pansy greeted tensely.

She shifted in place, looking exactly as uncomfortable as she sounded. She kept flicking her gaze between Ashley and the floor, opening and closing her mouth indecisively as if second-guessing herself. The Potter Heiress narrowed her eyes and adjusted her satchel’s strap on her shoulder, gazing at the Slytherin with a curious glint in her eyes. Ashley had never seen Pansy acting like she was currently. Pansy had never been one to be unsure, only cocky, angry, or both. She mirrored Draco in that regard (in the past, at least), that was probably why they were good friends. Or, well, had been. The two had obviously grown apart since Pansy always seemed hell-bent on separating Draco and Alyssa.

“I, uh… I was actually looking for you.” Pansy revealed quietly after a few seconds more of awkward silence.

“Do you need something? I have to be somewhere right now.” Ashley explained, furrowing her eyebrows.

“I wanted to talk to you…” Pansy muttered.

“Well, we’re talking right now.” Ashley mused.

“No, I meant-” Pansy frowned.

“I know what you meant.” Ashley chuckled, “Give me a second.”

She glanced around, searching for a passing student with the same destination as hers. Finally, she spotted one just as he came around the corner.

“Colin!”

The young Gryffindor abruptly turned towards the sound of Ashley’s voice, stopping him in his trek towards the aforementioned tutoring session. It wasn’t like he needed the help, he was already so talented for a Muggle-born, but it never hurt to want to improve. There was a light blush dusting his cheeks as he approached Ashley who smiled straight at him. The aftereffect was instantaneous. Colin reddened tremendously, though he managed not to stumble over his words in his haste to greet Ashley. Despite his bordering-on-obsessive feelings towards her, they’d gotten to know each other well enough to be considered friends. He was quite easy to talk to and they had their shared love for photography to bond over.

“Hey, could you tell the others I’m on my way? I just need to deal with something for a bit.”

“Sure, yeah, I’ll tell them!”

“Thank you, I won’t be long.”

Walking backwards, Colin waved and consequently almost tripped over his own two feet. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat and hurried away. Ashley giggled and shook her head fondly before switching her full attention back to Pansy, raising both her eyebrows expectantly as an indication for the Slytherin to start talking.

“I’m sorry.” Pansy blurted out.

Ashley blinked, shocked stock still. Even her typically chatty familiar had no response to offer. They both listened intently as Pansy apologized for her actions against the Marauders, just as Draco and Blaise once did. It turned out that Pansy truly never disliked the group. There had just been a whole lot of unbridled jealousy and fear of losing her only genuine friends on her part. Ashley was aware of the latter. After all, the Slytherins weren’t a tight-knit group like the Hufflepuffs were. Though, the snakes had come far with the idea of House unity. Back in Tom’s era, one wouldn’t matter if they weren’t exceedingly capable in their studies or if they simply weren’t influential enough. Tom had been lucky enough to have been born as the Slytherin Heir, a fact which greatly boosted his reputation amongst his House mates.

“ _What shall be your move, little one?_ ” Moko asked after Pansy’s explanation.

Ashley hummed thoughtfully in response, tilting her head towards the reptile. Mentally weighing her options, she carefully eyed Pansy, searching for any sign of deception. The Potter Heiress had no patience saved for traitors. She’d already had one too many encounters. She wasn’t about to let someone else fool her with their false loyalty. But perhaps Pansy _was_ telling the truth. There was absolutely no chance of her ever working with, nevertheless _for_ , Dumbledore.

“…Forgiven, but not forgotten, not until the rest hears and accepts your apology as well.” Ashley declared.

“I-I didn’t think you’d actually consider… That’s reasonable, I’ll do that.” Pansy nodded with a determined expression.

“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Ashley watched Pansy walk away, only resuming her path to the tutoring session when the Slytherin was out of view.

“ _Will you inform the others?_ ” Moko hissed, nudging the Potter Heiress’ cheek.

“ _I have to, or else Alyssa might be tempted to hex her first thing._ ” She half-heartedly joked.

The following day during breakfast, she was only a little surprised to see Pansy sitting with the Gryffindors and, more importantly, her friends. Apparently, Pansy had spent the remainder of her night searching for the other Marauders to apologize to them one by one. From what Ashley was told, everything was as good as forgotten, though it was mentioned that Alyssa had been a difficult one. It certainly wasn’t anything less than what Ashley expected. Alyssa had her soul-bonded to be worried about. Ashley would have acted the same way if faced with someone who had once been a threat to her bond.

She sat in between Fred and George, her chin leaning on one hand with her elbow resting on the table. She surveyed the great hall, taking note of the familiar and unfamiliar behavior of both the students and castle staff. The stares garnered by her group were minimal to none, their friendship no longer considered odd. Of course, there were still a few prejudiced students here and there but none were foolish enough to comment and/or confront them. All was well, actually. Alexandra’s disappearance was no longer a topic of concern and Dumbledore was almost never seen, not even during meals. The past days, he’d taken to staying within the confines of his office. All was well, yet somehow, there was still something missing…

“Good morning, Marauders.”

The Marauders simultaneously turned to see the owner of the soft voice. One Luna Lovegood stood by the edge of the long table, right where Neville and Maia were seated. Wordlessly, the young Ravenclaw first year nudged Neville over in order to sit beside him. She aimed an absentminded smile at him, something he dazedly reciprocated. The rest present were understandably confused but seeing as neither the Golden Trio nor the twins were bothered by the new development, they shrugged it off. Luna must have been meant to join them sooner or later if the nonchalance was a hint towards that. She arrived just in time, too, for breakfast to properly begin. The morning meal was filled with laughter and joyful chatter, the party ignorant of the venomous glare a certain dark-haired Gryffindor was sporting.

With breakfast done, the Marauders dispersed for the time being to attend their respective classes. Only minutes into her first vacant period of the day, Ashley was pulled aside as she was headed to the library. With the lack of her magic spiking dangerously, she knew that she was in no danger. As it turned out, Luna was the one who had a grip on her arm.

“Sir Nicholas is roaming the dungeons. I think you should go there.” Luna smiled.

Knowing better than to argue with someone presumed to be a Seer, Ashley nodded and gladly sought out the Gryffindor House ghost. The library could wait for a few minutes. The Potter Heiress already had a good idea as to what Luna was subtly hinting towards. Nick had useful information, most likely about Henrik. The Potter Heiress eventually found the ghost near the secret entrance to the kitchens, reprimanding a seventh year Slytherin who definitely wasn’t even attempting to listen to him. She casually approached them, successfully distracting Nick long enough for the older student to slip away and back into the metaphorical snake pit.

“Good morning, Nick.”

“Ah, Heiress of Gryffindor, how may I be of service?”

“I hear you may know something about Henrik Stone’s disappearance.”

“Henrik Stone… I haven’t heard that name in years! He was a kind soul, that one.”

“Do you know what happened to him?”

“I’m afraid I do not, Heiress, but I may have a theory.”

Ashley’s suspicions were confirmed as Nick went on and on about how the last time he’d seen Henrik, the Hufflepuff was being escorted by Dumbledore himself to his office. And coincidentally enough, Henrik’s disappearance was announced the day after the strange occurrence. Nick knew nothing beyond that but he did suggest that Ashley ask the office portraits. One of them was bound to have been awake during that particular moment. Though obviously whoever that was wasn’t Phineas or else Ashley would have already been notified. Now, she just had to sneak inside the headmaster’s office, _again_ …

“I need Dumbledore out of his office during dinner.”

She was straight to the point as she spotted her friends (namely Fred, George, Alyssa, Mitchelle, and Neville with each respective familiar/pet) crowded around a table near the Restricted Section. It was the most secluded location, aside from the Restricted Section itself, within the library but of course, it never hurt to be careful. Ashley had erected a silencing ward before she was even seated, wary of any curious enough to eavesdrop. The risk was far too great.

“Leave that to us.” Fred and George chorused, “We’ve planned quite a few pranks these past few days.”

“Do you need us? If you don’t, we’ll help the twins with the distraction.” Neville offered.

“I’ll be fine on my own. It’ll be faster too; I don’t plan on staying long.” Ashley declined.

True to their word, the terrors that were the Weasley twins, with the assistance of the majority of the Marauders, wreaked havoc upon Hogwarts. The evening meal was an absolute mess. The professors, including Dumbledore, were forced to run around and chase half of the student body which had been turned into ferrets. What made the situation worse were the actual animals mixed in with the transfigured ones. None knew how to distinguish so cancelling spells were being cast left and right. It was quite amusing, mostly to the ones unaffected by the prank. Ashley took advantage of the surrounding chaos and quietly slipped away, sneaking her way towards the Dumbledore’s momentary empty office.

“Good evening, everyone.” She hastily greeted the portraits.

“If you don’t mind, I have a question for all of you. I do hope at least one of you can give me some answers.”

She asked each and every ex-headmaster and ex-headmistress present within the frames. Luckily, she had to wake no one as they were all very much alert to her presence. Alas, her visit turned out to be fruitless as none of the portraits claimed to have seen anything. None of them had been around at the time, all coincidentally wandering other parts of the castle. Crestfallen, the Potter Heiress turned to leave, but was abruptly stopped by a _thud_ somewhere to her left. A book had fallen out from one of the many shelves and being the curious girl that she was, Ashley went ahead and approached it. Oddly enough, it was flipped wide open but the pages were blank. At least, they _were_ blank until a single page started glowing and words began appearing.

_It’s all a great mystery…. Look up at the sky and you’ll see how everything changes… What…?_

Narrowing her eyes, Ashley took a risk and did as the book suggested. She lifted her eyes to the space above the bookcase and found what appeared to be a heavily enchanted space. There were several spells in place, each and every one a strong glamour, meaning Dumbledore was outrageously desperate to keep something hidden from plain sight. Ashley had a feeling that that something was going to be the key to finding Henrik.

With a wave of her hand, the space rippled like water, eventually revealing a large portrait. It was of an old woman, sophisticated and dressed in fancy lavender robes. Her face was graced with a subtle smile and her pale hair was pulled back into a tight bun. At the bottom of her frame was a small plaque with what Ashley assumed was her name. Madam Quinivere Quilt; a pure-blood, and one of the five past headmistresses of the school. However, there was something very strange about her. Unlike the rest of the portraits, she wasn’t moving, nor did she seem like she was awake. Her portrait had been deactivated, obviously by none other than Dumbledore, and Ashley had an idea why. But how in Merlin’s name was the Potter Heiress supposed to test out her theory if the one person she could talk to wasn’t even awake?

All of a sudden, as if to answer her question, the temperature dropped. A chill ran down her spine as goosebumps rose on her skin. It might have been just her but she swore that in that moment, the room seemed darker and the shadows, bigger. Something was right there with her, she just knew it. A freezing breeze blew past her right then, her ears picking up on the words it whispered. The temperature miraculously seemed to pick up after that, the atmosphere turning normal again. Strangely enough though, Ashley’s magic wasn’t at all threatened or on the verge of lashing out. It accepted the dark presence wholeheartedly. A topic to ponder about later on because she had no time to lose. Her friends had promised that they would give her as much time as she needed, but it was better safe than sorry. She needed to hurry up.

She did as the wind suggested and spoke the words she heard. It turned out to be quite a useful spell, one that woke the dormant portrait. Madam Quilt began moving, losing her stiff posture. Blinking blearily, she looked around the office until she spotted Ashley. The old woman stared at the raven-haired student in confusion which eventually shifted into panic and worry.

“Dearie, you need to get out of here! Hurry, before he hurts you too!” She warned, wide-eyed.

_‘Hurts me too’? What does she mean by that?_

“Madam, please calm down. You’re talking about Dumbledore, aren’t you?” Ashley asked softly.

“Dumbledore… Oh, that wretched old man! I never thought he would go as far as curse a student! You have to save poor Henrik!” Madam Quilt pleaded.

She proceeded to fall into hysterics. She sobbed into her hands, crying out for the decades-missing student. Ashley stood there, stunned, attempting to process the information she had just been given. She finally found out the reason behind Henrik’s disappearance but she needed to know more. The information was useless if she didn’t know what to do with it. The ex-headmistress only said that Henrik has been cursed, not killed. So, maybe there was a way the Potter Heiress could help him and bring him back to Tom. That was the best case scenario. If that wasn’t possible, then Tom, at least, deserved to know the full truth about his soul-bonded to attain some long-awaited closure.

“Madam, I need you to calm down. Breathe in and out, then tell me all about that day. Take all the time you need.”

That last part was more of an assurance for the woman’s sake. Ashley didn’t have all the time in the world. She was on a time limit. She had no idea whether or not Dumbledore was on his way back already. She needed to be far from the office before that happened but she wasn’t going to leave without answers. She just had to have faith in her friends’ abilities. They would mirror-call her if she ever was in danger of getting caught. That, and Moko was lurking on the hallway ceilings to keep watch. He would slither his way back to Ashley if he saw someone approaching.

“It started out as a normal day.” Madam Quilt began, sniffling.

“I was having a very lovely chat with the new portrait by the staircase when I noticed Henrik walking with Dumbledore. Neither looked happy being in each other’s presence.” She reminisced.

“Now, I’ve always been fond of Henrik. That boy was always such a sweetheart so, I followed them here. I was worried about him, and understandably so. Dumbledore never really approved of his and Tom Riddle’s relationship, and kept trying to convince them to leave each other. It never worked. Their bond was stronger than anything I’ve ever witnessed.” She sighed wistfully.

“Oh, but that’s exactly what Dumbledore hated… He couldn’t accept that the boys had each other, meaning they didn’t need him. He wormed his way into Tom’s head, planting those awful ideas of creating… _Horcruxes_.” She shivered in disgust.

“Obviously, Henrik was absolutely livid. He berated Dumbledore for being an insufferable meddler. At least, that’s the gist of what he said. He had such a sharp tongue for a Hufflepuff, and quite an extensive knowledge on cursing.” She mused.

“Dumbledore didn’t take it all that well…” She sniffled, eyes turning glossy, “One minute Henrik’s running his mouth off, and then the next… Dumbledore has his wand raised and-and then-”

She burst into uncontrollable tears once more. Startled, Ashley did her best to ease the woman’s sobbing. Ashley understood that the ex-headmistress was despairing like she should have been able to decades ago, but she had to finish what she started.

“And then _what_?” Ashley urged desperately.

“And then… He turned Henrik to stone!” Madam Quilt wailed.

Ashley pinned her with a wide-eyed stare as her mind began to process the new information. Dumbledore had gone all Medusa on Henrik and _turned him to stone_. Ashley didn’t know what to think about that. She wasn’t even sure if Henrik was still alive or not, but Tom did say that he still felt their bond... She, at least, knew that every curse had a counter spell (except the Unforgivables, obviously). So, if Ashley could somehow reverse the effects of whatever Dumbledore cast, she could (hypothetically) save Henrik.

_Add that to my ever-growing to-do list. Tom better be grateful, this is getting ridiculous!_

“ _Little one,_ ” Moko hissed from the doorway, “ _Dumbledore is coming. We don’t have much time._ ”

Alarmed, Ashley rushed over to pick him up and placed him around her shoulders. She looked around the room, hopelessly searching for an alternate exit. She thought about apparating away but that would let Dumbledore sense her magic, not to mention all the evidence she would be leaving behind. It wasn’t like she had any other choice though. It was either that or leave through the entrance and risk walking right into Dumbledore. The latter was much more dangerous. And maybe if Ashley got lucky, her magic wouldn’t leave such a distinct signature that she could be recognized with.

Making up her mind, she levitated Madam Quilt’s portrait off the wall and shrunk it, pocketing it within her robe. She was just preparing to apparate when the lights went out. Clutching her wand tightly in her hand, she felt it when the dark presence from earlier approached her from behind. She stood there frozen in her spot as the entity spoke, unable to glance back like she wanted to or comfort her shivering familiar. The entity had a low, gravelly voice, accompanied by the noise of what sounded like clanking chains. There was also an odd stench in the air that Ashley was having trouble identifying. It smelled rotten in a way, almost like… _death_.

****“The phoenix, Chosen One...”** **

Right on cue, Fawkes’ transparent cage began to glow. Ashley was inclined to go towards it, it being the only current light source. Her hand raised unconsciously, aided by an unknown force, and met the invisible barrier which dissipated upon contact. Just like that, Fawkes was free. He squawked and giddily flapped his wings, rising into the air with unbelievable elegance. Thinking back to Dumbledore’s dramatic escape in the fifth movie, Ashley reached out for the phoenix and was immediately engulfed in flames.

“ _Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?_ ” Moko commented as soon as they materialized.

“ _Among other things, yeah…_ ” Ashley giggled, petting his head.

Fawkes had brought them to the Quidditch field where there were, thankfully, no players in sight. Ashley knew that a few overachievers and rule breakers tended to ride their brooms late at night for practice and for fun, respectively. It was just their luck that nobody decided to rebel for a change. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ashley thanked the phoenix resting on her shoulder. She promptly realized that this was her chance to obtain the second ingredient to Tom’s Elixir. Minutes later, she was watching Fawkes fly off into the distance with a vial of fresh phoenix tears in her hand.

Her next stop before retreating to her dorm was the kitchens. She had to skip dinner for her little mission. She was reasonably hungry, albeit just a little. However, as she was making her way to the dungeons, both she and her familiar heard very familiar voices. Ever so curious, she searched them out and was led to one of the many hidden alcoves of the castle. The sight that greeted her wasn’t what she expected.

“I don’t get it!” Kyra raged, “How come she accepts _you_ and not _me_?”

She had her wand raised and pointed towards one of the people Ashley considered as a sister, Luna. The Potter Heiress felt her rage simmering beneath the surface, angered at the fact that someone would be _stupid_ enough to target one of _her_ Marauders. Although, despite the obvious danger she was in, Luna still looked as carefree as ever. Ashley understood why when their eyes met briefly. The blonde knew that rescue would come and, consequently, what would then befall Kyra.

“Well, whatever the reason, I won’t let you ruin my mission. I won’t fail my mother and father, and if that means getting rid of _you_ , so be it.” Kyra sneered, “Good riddance. I won’t have to deal with a freak like you anymore, Lovegood.”

“You know… I _really_ hate that word.” Ashley casually drawled.

“A-Ashley, I-I can explain, I-” Kyra stuttered with a panicked expression.

“ _Silencio_.” Ashley muttered coldly, “That’s quite enough from you.”

Kyra opened her mouth to scream but, of course, no sound came out. Desperate, she moved to cast the first spell on her mind. Unfortunately for her, Luna was faster. The young Gryffindor was disarmed and rope-bound in a matter of seconds. Ashley shook her head, finding Kyra’s silent struggling darkly amusing, and began to circle the girl like a predator would its prey.

“Freak… You _really_ shouldn’t have said that. I could have let you off with a painful set of hexes and an _Obliviate_ , had you not said that one word. It’s quite triggering for me, brings up bad memories.” Ashley pouted mockingly.

“She’ll have to pay now, won’t she?” Luna innocently asked.

“She will…” Ashley guaranteed, “How should we make her suffer?”

“In the same way the other did.” Luna giggled.

Grinning maliciously, Ashley cast a heavy glamour over Kyra to avoid suspicion when they got out of the alcove. The Ravenclaw needed no further instructions after that. She rested the tip of her wand right against Kyra’s back, forcing the Gryffindor to move. Ashley led them to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom, revealing the Chamber’s entrance without a moment’s hesitation. As their company reached the tunnel leading to Persephone, Ashley canceled her silencing charm, for she wanted to hear how the first year would beg for her life.

“Help, please, someone!”

“No one’s going to hear you.”

“Don’t do this, _please_!”

“Begging won’t get you anywhere with me. Alexandra still died, didn’t she?”

“Y-you monster, how could you?! She was your friend!”

“She _was_ my friend. I did what I had to do, just like I will with you.”

“Dumbledore was right about you! You’re no Chosen One! You’re just like You-Know-Who!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Tom would be _so_ proud of me.”

Something was different. Ashley didn’t remember feeling this light that first time, her first kill. Maybe it was the fact that Kyra, in her eyes, had done more wrongs to her than Alexandra. The brat had been a nuisance right from the start, even before the Wishing Stone happened. They had never bonded, unlike with Alexandra. That was why the Hufflepuff still haunted Ashley’s dreams. This time around, the Potter Heiress doubted Kyra’s death would be a bother.

“You won’t get away with this! My family, the Order, they’ll come after you-”

“Let them, I _want_ them to. I’ll have fun tearing them apart.”

With that, the basilisk was summoned to meet its meal. Now that that was over, Ashley had a leaf to get.


	11. It's Time

_The dark shall reign once more. Enemies of the heir… Beware._

Hushed voices filled the crowded halls of Hogwarts as curious students read the threat that was written messily with a dark red substance. Blood, they all knew. Ashley was amongst them, surrounded by her fellow Marauders. None dared to utter a single word, but for the sake of their act, they shared faux worried glances. In the corner of her eyes, Ashley could see Dumbledore just a few ways from where she stood. His gaze was pinned on the illustration above the words, one only few would recognize as the Deathly Hollows symbol. He almost seemed calm, albeit a little tense, but he wasn’t. The anger and trepidation in his eyes betrayed him and Ashley relished in the fact that she had been the one to cause this.

Eventually, the students dispersed to return to their respective classes and continue on with their day. The Marauders separated as well, with only the first year Gryffindors staying together for their vacant period. They headed off to the study hall, all while conversing about the earlier happenings regarding Dumbledore. Ashley hadn’t been the only one who was keeping a close eye on him the entire time.

“Did you see his face? Absolutely priceless!” Maia snickered.

“Shout it out loud, why don’t you.” Dominic laughed, lightly shoving her.

“Can you blame me? I don’t know about you guys, but seeing Dumbledore like that was great for my heart.” Maia insisted jokingly.

“Maybe we should scare him more often.” Neville suggested with a carefree smile.

“Oh, we will. Just you wait.” Ashley smirked.

A little while later, the Potter Heiress was searching for a certain Hufflepuff friend of hers. They had just finished Herbology when Mitchelle seemingly remembered something and left in a hurry. In her haste, she dropped her class notes which Ashley had been lucky enough to find. The Gryffindor’s mission now was to return the aforementioned notes to her best friend before Mitchelle began to panic. Upon seeing someone who might have been able to help her, Ashley immediately called out.

“Hey! Have you seen Mitch?” She asked, adjusting the satchel strap on her shoulder.

“No,” Draco replied, “but I did see Cedric earlier by the Astronomy tower. He looked like he was waiting for someone so, maybe she went there?”

“Yeah, okay. Thanks, Malfoy.” Ashley grinned, laughing at the way Draco rolled his eyes.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, muffled speaking from within her satchel interrupted her. It couldn’t have been Moko. He didn’t particularly like staying in enclosed spaces, said it reminded him of the zoo. Also, he was back at the dorm, napping. So, frowning in confusion, Ashley rummaged through her things and found the source of the noise. It was Madam Quilt’s shrunken portrait; an item the Potter Heiress had forgotten was still with her.

“Wait, is that my _grandmother_?” Draco piped up, spotting the portrait.

“Say that again?” Ashley blinked.

“That’s my too-many-greats-grandmother Quinivere!” Draco exclaimed, “She was a Malfoy, one of the nicest ones you’ll ever meet. Where did you get this?”

“Dumbledore.” Ashley shrugged, knowing the Malfoy Heir would need no further explanation.

“Ah.” Draco nodded in understanding, “In that case, do you mind if I take it? Father’s been searching for a portrait of hers to hang in the family gallery.”

“No, not at all. Go right ahead. Just cast _Engorgio_ and she’ll be back to her normal size.” Ashley instructed.

“Yeah, I got it. Thanks.” Draco smiled gratefully.

“I’ll get going then. Still got someone to look for.” Ashley sighed in mock exasperation.

“Er, wait.” Draco said, stopping her in her tracks.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her along as he strolled down the hallway, determined to locate a private spot. Luckily, they were already near Myrtle’s bathroom. Draco could have just cast a silencing charm if he hadn’t wanted anyone to hear their conversation but that would have led to unwanted attention if anyone were to pass by them. The other students were already on edge with Alexandra’s death and now, Kyra’s. Draco didn’t want to draw any suspicion towards the Marauders. The student body had to believe they were all innocent if ever Dumbledore didn’t. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case yet. The old bastard probably assumed Voldemort was on the rise again and had gotten one of his followers inside the castle. Technically, that wasn’t far off from the truth, was it?

“Right, so… I wanted to ask about the Vow.” Draco no longer hesitated to say.

“Oh, that! It’s a good thing you brought that up, actually.” Ashley said.

“It’s ready. I only have to ask Snape to act as a witness. If he agrees, we can do it by tonight.” She continued.

She and Draco split ways after that, each looking for a respective third of the Golden Trio. She found Mitchelle right where Draco said she would be, hanging out with her soul-bonded by the Astronomy tower. It looked like the unofficial couple was having a little picnic date. They were sitting beside each other quite closely on a pale yellow blanket (Hufflepuff pride, right there) with Serina lazing about in between them, eating snacks definitely taken from the kitchen. They were laughing at something, really just enjoying each other’s presence. The sight made Ashley’s heart clench. It reminded her of her own soul-bonded, and how she missed them both so much.

“ _Little one, are you alright?_ ”

Looking up at the ceiling, Ashley smiled at seeing her familiar finally awake from his nap. She caught him with outstretched arms as he purposely fell, letting him wrap around her neck and ignoring the oddity of how he managed to find her. It was probably the bond they shared. They never really thought to figure out the extent of it but Ashley was sure they had a certain feel of each other. Moko always seemed to know just how she felt at any point of time and vice versa so really, it just made sense.

“ _Yes, I’m fine._ ” She assured, walking the opposite direction of her Hufflepuff friends.

“ _Where are we off to?_ ” Moko quizzed, thankfully not delving into the subject.

“ _The next class isn’t for more than thirty minutes. I might as well go meet Snape._ ” Ashley hummed thoughtfully.

She headed off into the dungeons, cheerfully greeting the elder Slytherins she passed by on the way. She reached the Potions classroom and peeked inside, spotting the professor sitting at his desk. There was a stack of parchment next to him and he seemed to be reading through each paper, presumably grading the essays Fred and George had been doing the night before.

“Excuse me, Professor? Are you busy?” Ashley asked, stepping inside the room.

“Quite, but you’ll ask for my time regardless.” Snape drawled.

Ashley sent a sheepish grin his way and shut the door behind her. She approached his desk just as he put aside the papers for after their talk.

“What is it that you need? Do make it quick.” He sighed.

“Alright then. Do you mind witnessing for an Unbreakable Vow?” Ashley said bluntly.

“…I believe I might have misheard you.” Snape narrowed his eyes, “I refuse to believe you’ve just asked me to participate in a Vow-taking.”

“Nope, you definitely heard right.” Ashley casually confirmed.

“Ms. Potter, you are an intelligent student. You must know that an Unbreakable Vow is not some silly game you can play with your friends.” Snape frowned disapprovingly.

“ _Of course_ , I know that.” Ashley rolled her eyes.

Determined to get rid of Snape’s hesitancy, she carefully explained just how the Vow would work. She listed the conditions the Vow would entail, the reasons for why it was necessary, and who were willing to take it, namely the entire Marauder squad.

“You’ve created an inner circle for yourself… It does make me wonder just who you’re taking after.” Snape raised his eyebrows knowingly.

“You know who.” Ashley giggling at her own pun.

She bid the professor farewell only after informing him of the time and place for the Vow-taking (after dinner at the Room of Requirement). Still having the rest of the day ahead of her, she decided to be productive and go to the study hall to finish her Herbology homework. She had nothing else to do for the time being anyway.

****Hours later…** **

Ashley strolled out of the great hall, accompanied by her identical, self-proclaimed knights. However, before they could even begin a conversation, they ran straight into the Hogwarts headmaster. He resolutely blocked their path, his irritatingly twinkling eyes aimed at no one but the Potter Heiress. She immediately knew that trouble was brewing. So did Fred and George, if their sudden tensing were anything to go by.

“Ashley,” Dumbledore addressed, “may I have a word with you?”

“Of course, Headmaster.” Ashley nodded, cringing internally.

Sharing a look with the twins, she wordlessly ordered them to gather the rest of their group before following Dumbledore to his office. She memorized the new password, amused that the headmaster had to change it after her stunt of freeing Fawkes. She didn’t know where the phoenix ended up at but wherever he was, he was undoubtedly safer and happier than he was in Dumbledore’s clutches.

“How are you, my dear?” Dumbledore _kindly_ asked.

He offered Ashley a small piece of candy, one she calmly declined. There was no fooling her. Her magic easily recognized the compulsion charms the sweet was drenched in. Honestly, it was pathetic how the old man still thought he controlled her. She was a better actress than she gave herself credit for. But then, if that was true, there was no point into spelling her again, unless…. Dumbledore suspected that she wasn’t his puppet anymore. That was bad, that was _really_ bad.

“You must be having a hard time dealing with Alexandra and Kyra’s disappearances.”

“I am… Half the school year hasn’t even passed and yet, I’ve already lost two friends. It’s overwhelming…”

“I sincerely apologize for pushing but I need to ask. Do you have any idea about what’s been happening? It can’t be a coincidence that the only missing students are your friends, can it?”

Ashley forced herself not to panic after hearing those words. Luckily, she was quick to think of a solution, an idea to throw Dumbledore off his track.

“I may have a theory…” She muttered hesitantly, “But it’s crazy, you wouldn’t believe me…”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try.” Dumbledore urged.

“I think… _Voldemort_ might have something to do with this. I mean, you said it yourself! Alexandra, Kyra, they were all connected to me. Someone must be targeting them to get to me, and I can’t think of anyone else who’d do that but Voldemort!” Ashley exclaimed.

“B-but the thing is, I saw him turn to ash! He died right in front of me. I don’t understand how he could possibly be alive!” Ashley frowned, worry written all over her face.

She caught the exact moment Dumbledore took the bait. His aura darkened significantly and she knew why. He was thinking of the only reasons Voldemort could still be alive (which he was), he was thinking of the Horcruxes. The old man’s eyes stayed trained on Ashley’s form, once in a while drifting towards her famous scar. About a full minute of awkward silence passed before she was dismissed at last. She wasted no time then and headed for the Room of Requirement, eager to get the night over with. Upon her arrival, she was greeted at the door by none other than Snape.

“Ms. Potter, what did Dumbledore want?” He asked, his subtle concern mirrored by her friends.

“He’s getting suspicious. We need to hurry this up.” Ashley revealed.

“I will have to ask again. Are you all sure about this? You’re all aware that breaking a Vow has disastrous consequences?” Snape narrowed his eyes.

“We know.” Neville answered confidently.

Each and every person present looked at him with smiles, proud that his Gryffindor was showing. He flushed due to the attention on him but he didn’t take his words back. Deny as he might, Snape was impressed. He nodded and directed the group to kneel and form a tight-knit circle. The Marauders did as they were told and followed through with his next instructions, overlapping their right hands in the middle of their circle with Ashley’s hand on top. Snape placed the tip of his wand on top of their hands and began chanting. The air around them changed, thickening with magic, as the Vow took hold.

Ashley gasped when she felt her magic suddenly spike. Her eyes gained a strong glow, and so did her hand. From the glow formed translucent tendrils that spread across the room and weaved through the circle. Ashley assumed the phenomenon wasn’t a usual thing that happened during a Vow-taking since even Snape looked shocked. Not that she cared at the moment. She was much too busy focusing on the voices that bombarded her mind. Nobody was speaking, she could see that, but by some miracle, she could _hear_ how her friends marveled in awe. In all honestly, she somehow felt much more connected to them, almost as much as she did with Moko.

She didn’t have any more time to process it all. Her magic steadily formed a whirlwind around the group and was swiftly sucked back into her hand. The glow dimmed and just like that, it was over. However, nobody dared make a noise still, or any movement for that matter. Snape was the first to snap out of his daze, helping everyone else snap out of theirs. He left after making sure no one was hurt. He still had his rounds of patrolling to get to.

“That’s it then. Go back to your dorms and rest as much as you can. We need to be ready for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? What’s happening tomorrow?”

“We’ll be going into the forest, and we’re not coming out until we find the Tree of Life.”

The Marauders agreed to retreat back into their respective dorms for the night. The following morning, they were all up bright and early, anxious yet eager to start the day. At some point in between all her classes, Ashley managed to make a discovery regarding the extent of her shield’s power. When she focused hard enough, she had the ability to enter any mind she’d shared her shield with. At least, that was her theory. Her only bases were her friends since, given the circumstances, they were the only ones available, including Hagrid. She tried reaching Sirius and Remus but they were too far. Distance was something that she realized affected the shield. Its strength, though still far from her own, depended on the person’s proximity to her. This was proven when it was harder to reach Neville who was on the other side of the castle. Maybe a little practice was needed, but Ashley theorized that this applied to mind spells as well. The shield could cancel out weak enchantments and such but with spells like the Unforgivables… It was better to steer clear of that area. Better to be safe than sorry.

Despite the excitement Ashley felt for her newfound ability, she preferred to block it out. Channeling an open bond was, for a lack of better word, chaotic. Thoughts and memories, whether past or present, were difficult to sort through, especially since Ashley was inexperienced with the whole thing. She would get better in time, she was sure of it, but using that ability as seldom as possible was for the best. However, she couldn’t deny that it was a much faster way of contacting her friends.

_It’s time._

She sent the message over to the rest of the Marauders, wherever they were, as she headed towards the Forbidden Forest. She set an unhurried pace to match Moko’s slithering by her feet. After all, they had no reason to hurry. It was past curfew, yes, but the threats of roaming Prefects or nasty caretakers accompanied by equally nasty cats no longer loomed over them. Snape, in charge of the nightly rounds once again, had volunteered to distract them for the time being and keep them from taking the routes Ashley had instructed her friends to use. The Marauders were safe… For now.

Ashley spotted her friends (including Klaus and Serina) gathered near Hagrid’s hut, the said half-giant accompanying them with a lantern in hand. She greeted them shortly and kindly dismissed Hagrid, entering the Forest with the others. They traveled all the way to the first boulder she found, the one with the blood red crystal, where Maia was assigned to.

“You all know your places?”

Ashley received several nods.

“Good. Follow the path and don’t leave until we come and get you, okay?”

The Marauders dispersed to make their way to their respective boulders, eventually leaving the Golden Trio, Cedric, Draco, Fred, and George the only ones grouped together. They traveled inwards to the pentagram’s center where they happened upon a small clearing. Ashley cast _Periculum_ , sending red spark flying high above the trees. The sight signaled Neville and the others to channel their magic and hit the boulders with everything they got. Back in the clearing, exactly four spots on the ground began to glow, forming the points of a large ‘X’. From the spots rose four boulders embedded with identical white crystals. Those present were stunned into silence.

Grinning cryptically, the twins ushered everyone to where they were supposed to be. Draco, Alyssa, Mitchelle, and Cedric were assigned a boulder each while Ashley stood in the middle. She belatedly realized that they had formed a wide ‘X’ as the boulders were struck with magic. Suddenly, the patch of land she was standing on began to glow as well, brighter than any of the others did. She began to feel lightheaded, her senses going slightly haywire as wisps of magic circled her. It was akin to the feeling of using a portkey, but lighter, _purer_ in a way.

Wide-eyed, Mitchelle and Alyssa watched Ashley be encompassed by a blinding light. They could see the panic in her eyes as she raised her hands, noticing the way they were beginning to flicker in and out of sight. She was fading, but to where? She didn’t know, but she was about to find out.

“Ashley!!!” Mitchelle and Alyssa screamed.

They ran towards her in a hurry with their familiars tailing them. Alas, they were too late. Ashley was already gone, swept away with the light. Mitchelle crumpled to the ground, Cedric immediately coming over to comfort her while Serina lightly pawed her hand. Alyssa, on the other hand, stayed standing. Whimpering, Klaus rubbed against her trembling form as Draco approached her and pulled her into his arms. They were all reeling from what had just transpired. Well, not _all_ of them…

Fred and George still hadn’t moved from where they stood, seemingly unmoved by the fact that Ashley had just disappeared. However, the others couldn’t, didn’t, focus on them. The two-thirds of the Golden Trio and their soul-bonded may have had varying reactions but they all worried for the same person. In fact, they had a single, similar thought process. One single thought ran through their minds.

_What in Merlin’s name are we going to tell Sirius and Remus?_


	12. Life's Grove

****Life’s Grove, Realm of the Celestials** **

The first thing Ashley felt when she regained awareness of reality was the constant humming of her magic. Everything else came second. The Potter Heiress knew that she was laying on the ground somewhere atop the softest grass blades she’d ever felt, which meant that she wasn’t in the Forbidden Forest anymore. When she was conscious enough to open her eyes, her green orbs met the brilliant night sky littered with twinkling stars. There were no clouds in sight, nothing to conceal the crescent moon. It was truly a magnificent sight to behold. Granted, the view up in the Astronomy was something akin to that but there was something different about it, something oddly more…magical.

“ _Ashley! Ashley!_ ”

Blinking sluggishly, Ashley slowly sat up and turned her head towards the hissed shouts she recognized were from her familiar. She was barely upright before a full-grown Moko was hurling himself in her arms, sending them both back to the ground. She didn’t understand why he seemed so eager for close contact until she sensed the anxiety he felt through their bond, all because of the fact that they’d been separated unwillingly. It made sense then why he had his body wrapped around hers in such a firm grip, not enough to hurt her but enough to ensure that she couldn’t leave his hold.

“ _Are you alright, little one? Does anything hurt?_ ” He asked, seemingly looking her over for any injuries.

“ _I’m fine, Moko. Just a little dizzy._ ” The Potter Heiress assured, petting his scales comfortingly.

“ _I got so worried when I woke up and you weren’t there with me!_ ”

“ _I’m right here, it’s alright._ ”

Standing to her feet, Ashley carefully adjusted Moko’s position so that they were both comfortable. She then spent the next few moments taking in her surroundings. The trees stood tall and proud with their multicolored leaves shimmering under the moonlight and dancing with the chill breeze. This coupled with the mist of magic weaving through the air, the sight was just as beautiful as it had been in Ashley’s dream.

“ _I can’t believe it…_ ” She trailed off, awed.

“ _Is this the place you dreamed about?_ ” Moko tilted his head questioningly.

Nodding silently, Ashley stopped her marveling in favor of figuring out the way to her destination. In her dream, a Patronus-like creature had been the one to guide her to the Tree of Life. She figured that without any help, she would find herself lost and going around in circles. However, it seemed like the creature had no intention of showing up. Ashley had theorized that the creature was a part of herself, her own Patronus. If she was right, that meant that it couldn’t show up since she had not yet learned to cast the charm to summon it. What was she to do now?

****“I see you’ve finally found your way to my home.”** **

Instantly recognizing the voice, Ashley whirled around and gasped at who she saw. It was her, the woman made of light. She was real, and she was right there! The woman looked exactly as she did the first time Ashley had seen her. Long lavender hair, a deep purple dress, non-existent yet somehow still defined facial features… The woman, goddess, deity, whatever she was, looked just as exquisite as the image ingrained in Ashley’s mind.

“It’s you!” The Potter Heiress exclaimed.

 ** **“Why yes, it is me. Do you know who I am?”**** The woman asked, sounding amused.

“I… No, I don’t.” Ashley shook her head.

 ** **“No need to sound so apologetic,”**** The woman waved off, ** **“I didn’t think you would.”****

She made a small gesture towards Ashley, silently telling her to follow. The raven-haired girl obliged and matched the woman’s leisurely pace as they headed straight into the woods. The woman walked with such confidence that Ashley held no doubts in her heart that they would come across the Tree of Life in no time at all. The woman did mention that the place was her home. That was good to know, but it just made Ashley much more curious of the woman’s identity. Because of this, Ashley couldn’t help but steal glances from time to time but the woman’s…radiance made it a tad bit difficult.

 ** **“Is there something wrong? Does your head hurt? You keep squinting.”**** The woman observed.

“No, it’s just… You’re a bit bright.” Ashley smiled timidly.

 ** **“Ah, that. I forget how sensitive mortal eyes are.”**** The woman lightly remarked.

Pausing in her steps, she raised her hand and rested it above her heart. She began to glow more fiercely, forcing Ashley to turn away. When the Potter Heiress faced the woman once more, gone was the glowing goddess. Instead, in her place stood a fair young woman with caramel brown hair framing her elegant features. She wore snow white flats and a purple sundress, matching the purple coloration of her eyes. The latter was the only thing that made her especially distinct. If Ashley hadn’t known better, she could have mistaken the woman for a Muggle, but she _did_ know better.

“Is this better?” The woman asked, brushing down her skirt with a smile.

Speechless, Ashley simply nodded and continued to follow the woman to wherever she was headed. It turned out that the Tree of Life was not their immediate destination, but Ashley couldn’t find it in herself to complain. She’d been led to a vast field full of wild flowers of varying kinds and even wilder creatures, most were magical and few were not. Some of them could be considered dangerous but in the moment, it seemed like all was at peace. There was a herd of unicorns on one side, a group of baby hippogriffs on the other, and there was even a Niffler playing with gold jewelry by the small pond, right next a growing tree home to about four Bowtruckles.

“Welcome to Life’s Grove, Chosen One.” The woman said, gesturing around her home with pride.

“It’s beautiful.” Ashley commented breathlessly, “Truly, it is. I’m just guessing here, but are you…Life?”

“No,” The woman denied, “that would be my elder sister. She created and gifted this realm to me. Death said she was ecstatic with the notion of gaining a younger sibling. Would you like some tea?”

“Um, yes. That would be nice.” Ashley agreed.

With a wave of the woman’s hand, a picnic blanket was conjured on the ground, along with a porcelain tea set. She glided towards it and sat in a kneeling position, prompting Ashley to do the same. Neither of them had to do any work because apparently enough, the tea served itself. The teapot levitated upwards and poured steaming liquid into two cups, one heading for each woman present. Ashley happily accepted the floating teacup and decided to interview the woman with her questions as she waited for her tea to cool down somewhat.

“If you’re not Life… Who are you then?” Ashley asked, feeling just as curious as her familiar.

“I am Lady Magic, but you may call me Astra.” The woman, _Astra_ , answered.

“Astra?” Ashley raised her eyebrows.

“Yes. It’s an alias, for when I visit the mortal plane. My siblings each have one as well.” Astra informed her.

“Siblings?” Ashley wondered, “May I know theirs?”

“Of course. Fate chose Dalia, Death chose Damon, and Life chose Eve. She was very upset when Death refused to go by Adam. As twins, she wanted them to match in everything.” Astra chuckled.

Noticing that Moko was staring at a rabbit quite hungrily, she flicked her wrist and thus appeared a large, plump rat. Ashley giggled at how Moko immediately perked up at the sight and encouraged him to eat. After stroking her cheek with his tail, the snake swiftly uncoiled around Ashley as he went to chase after his meal. She was momentarily worried for his safety amongst the larger creatures but as it turned out, she had no reason to be. Aside from a few startled noises and some irritated huffing as he slithered past them, the other creatures paid him no mind.

“Is it always nighttime here?” Ashley randomly brought up, taking a small sip of her tea.

“No, I simply prefer the darker atmosphere. This place is dazzling under the moonlight, is it not?” Astra mused.

Ashley hummed in agreement and continued drinking her tea. She opted to observe the creatures around her instead of breaking the peaceful silence that consumed her and Astra. However, something else disrupted them. The dark sky suddenly turned light as the stars and moon vanished, replaced by puffy clouds and the blinding sun.

“W-what…?” Ashley stammered, disoriented by the sudden change.

“It seems we have a guest.” Astra sighed fondly.

She turned her gaze towards the trees, with Ashley hesitantly following. The Potter Heiress watched on in rapt fascination as the branches grew and bent to form an archway of sorts, an assemblage of flowers blooming all around it. As if sensing the incoming presence, the animals began crowding the end of the archway. That was when _she_ appeared, a giantess possessing the same glow Astra had. Another entity, definitely Astra’s sibling… Life, perhaps? Hair as green as grass and dress formed from different fauna, it was the most probably choice.

****“Little sister!”** **

Upon spotting Astra, it was like the woman made a complete turnabout from the calm and collected image she’d been sporting. She raised the bottom of her skirt, revealing her bare yet somehow clean feet, as she hurried towards her sister. Despite the woman’s large stature, the ground refused to tremble beneath her. In fact, her steps looked just as light and elegant as Astra’s. Both women made it seem like they were floating as they moved.

 ** **“How I’ve missed you! I haven’t seen you in years!”**** The stranger assumed as Life squealed, sweeping Astra into a tight embrace.

“Eve, as happy as I am to see you, we’ve existed for eons. Years are merely seconds for us.” Astra lightly teased.

 ** **“It doesn’t matter, I still missed you!”**** Eve stubbornly declared.

“I missed you too, Eve.” Astra admitted, chuckling.

Eve finally set Astra back down, helping the younger fix her slightly rumpled clothing. Eve then began to ramble about the happenings in her own realm, something Astra patiently listened to, acting as if _she_ was the older sibling. All the while, Ashley sat on the blanket, still holding her cup of tea. It took a few seconds but eventually, Eve did take notice of her.

****“Is that her? Is that our Chosen One?”** **

“It is. Why don’t you join us for tea?”

****“I’d love to!”** **

Eve dropped to her knees, causing Astra to facepalm. The elder of the two caught the other’s attention and pinched her thumb and forefinger together, leaving only a small space in between them. Understanding the gesture, Eve blushed (at least, Ashley assumed she did) and proceeded to grow smaller, losing her bright glow along the way. Now an average sized being, she resembled Astra more than ever. Their features were almost identical and so were their hair, though Eve’s was a shade lighter. Of course, there were a few more that distinguished them from one another. Their clothes, for one. Eve wore a white floral maxi dress and matching floral accessories, and she was still barefoot from what Ashley could tell. Eve’s eyes were also significantly different. They were of a light brown coloration, reminding Ashley of the cinnamon sticks Remus loved mixing with his hot chocolate.

“You’ve been around our brother recently, haven’t you?” Eve suddenly asked, stealing Ashley from her thoughts.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Ashley refrained from replying immediately. She didn’t quite know the answer to the question… Actually, maybe she did. Thinking back, there had been that dark presence in Dumbledore’s office, the one that had guided her into escaping. She remembered the odd way her magic reacted to it and quickly deduced that the presence had been Death coming to help her.

“I think I have been, yes.” Ashley nodded, more so to herself than anything.

“I thought so. He’s left a mark in your aura.” Eve commented.

“Not that it’s a bad thing.” She hurriedly assured, “His mark simply means you’ve got his approval.”

“Approval? For what?” Ashley narrowed her eyes curiously.

“Approval as our Chosen One, of course!” Eve happily chirped.

“You keep calling me that, your Chosen One… What does that even mean?” Ashley frowned in thought.

“…Astra, you haven’t told her?” Eve whispered to Astra, as if Ashley wasn’t less than a foot away.

After sending her sister a pointed look, Astra sighed and shook her head. Wincing, Eve quietly apologized and bid her companions a quick farewell. She then quite literally disappeared in a burst of magic, leaving behind pink petals in her place. Blinking, Ashley turned towards an exasperated Astra and stared at her expectantly.

“I shouldn’t be telling you this. Dalia wanted the honor but I’m certain you need to know now. It might help ease your guilt. Walk with me.”

Already on her feet, Astra extended a hand towards Ashley and, once it was accepted, helped her stand as well. They journeyed back into the woods, this time without Moko since he had decided to take a post-meal nap as he usually did. Ashley just had to appreciate the glimmering trees again. It was practically impossible not to, they were that eye-catching, but she did eventually manage to lend her attention back to Astra.

“Fate foresaw a future ruined with endless pain and suffering,” Astra began, “a future where I no longer exist and the rest of the celestials, my siblings, were weakened. We were devastated and so, we agreed to find someone capable of changing that future… You finding the Wishing Stone was no mere coincidence.”

Things were making much more sense now. The shop’s lack of costumers, its odd location, and… Those two keepers! Ashley thought they were familiar, and they were! Felix and Gareth, Fred and George… Honestly, it should have been obvious right from the start. Ashley felt a bit miffed at herself for not having realized it earlier on.

“But why _me_?” She pressed, “I’m not meant for this, I’m not a good person!”

“There are many who would claim otherwise.” Astra calmly countered.

“You’re not answering my question.”

“Despite what you might believe about yourself, your heart and soul are pure.”

“How can you say that? I’ve killed people!”

“There are some things that cannot be helped. Would you have rather Dumbledore find out about your secret dealings? Think about the repercussion that would have befallen you and your loved ones had you not sacrificed the lives of those traitors.”

“There were other ways-”

“Do you, in your heart, truly believe you could have convinced Kyra and Alexandra to change their minds?”

Ashley didn’t dare say a word.

“There is your answer.”

“…I still killed them. And what’s worse, I don’t regret any of it! I’ve been fighting myself over this, wondering if what I did made just as bad as Tom when he lost his sanity. And it did, _of course_ it did.”

“Killing does not define who you are. You don’t believe me? Let’s put it this way then, shall we?”

Astra didn’t wait for a response. Pausing in her steps, she slowly dragged her hand across the air, willing the mist to do her bidding. It took the shape of a brutal battle scene with many participants, two of which Ashley easily recognized as her soul-bonded. The two men looked absolutely ruthless, throwing spells left and right, expressions void of emotion except for pure determination.

“Think of your soul-bonded. Sirius Black was an Auror, and both he and Remus fought fearlessly in the war. Do you realize that they’ve killed far more than you have? They hadn’t even realized at the time that they were on the wrong side. Yet despite all of that, you still view them as two of the kindest people you know.”

Astra turned her back towards the vision, consequently turning it back to mist. She leaned down and cupped Ashley’s face in an almost motherly gesture. The Potter Heiress appreciated it, the touch able to calm her down even just for a little while.

“Death is inevitable in times of war. Those girls would have met my sibling one way or another, either by your hands or one of your allies’. They were enemies you would have needed to kill in or out of the battlefield.” Astra asserted.

“Listen carefully, Chosen One. Mercy is not the key to winning against someone like Dumbledore, for he does not know what mercy is.” She finished grimly.

“I…understand.” Ashley murmured.

“You must be overwhelmed at this point. I’ll take you to retrieve what you came here for. You may return home after.”

Seeing the Tree of Life for herself had Ashley speechless. It rose high above the others and shone brighter too, its silver leaves basking in moonlight. Astra chuckled at Ashley’s awed, frozen form and summoned a leaf to float in front of her. The Potter Heiress snapped out of her daze and gleefully accepted the last ingredient needed for Tom’s Elixir. To her shock, the moment she touched the leaf, she was transported away.

 ** **“Best of luck, Chosen One. You’ll be needing it.”**** Astra smiled sympathetically.


	13. Have Faith

****Marauder Mansion, Borough of Islington, London** **

Remus drowsily blinked his eyes open, his sleep disturbed by the Floo signaling a call for the house’s occupants. He sat up and rubbed his face with one hand. Sirius was still fast asleep beside him, ever the deep sleeper. Remus took half a minute to properly wake up before sighing and finally getting up. He grabbed his discarded pajama pants from the floor and put them on before heading downstairs. However, the closer he got to the living room, the stronger he felt this odd sense of dread. Somehow, a part of him knew something was wrong. This suspicion was confirmed when instead of seeing Ashley through the green fire like he’d expected, he was met with one of her friends.

“Alyssa, what’s wrong?” He frowned, unsettled.

“It’s Ashley. We’re in the Gryffindor common room, please hurry.” Alyssa breathed out, eyes wide with visible panic.

Remus felt his heartbeat stutter as the cold fear set in upon hearing those words. He didn’t bother replying. He rushed back to his and Sirius’ room and slammed the door open. Silence be damned, his cub was in danger. He hurriedly approached his slumbering mate and began shaking him. Groaning, the Animagus swatted his hands away and rolled over, burrowing further into the covers.

“Moony, let me sleep…” He muttered.

“Sirius, we need to go to Hogwarts. _Now_.” Remus urged.

Sirius’ eyes snapped open, suddenly much more alert. One shared look between the two men was all it took for them to get properly dressed and apparate to Hogwarts. Lucky for them, the castle’s wards easily recognized them as the soul-bonded of one of its heirs and let them pass through despite Dumbledore’s wishes. They appeared within the lions’ den where they were met with the new generation of Marauders, each one seemingly comforting one another.

“What happened? Where is she?” Sirius immediately asked.

“We’re not sure.” Ai quietly answered.

“What do you mean you’re not sure?!” Sirius shouted, frustrated.

“Sirius, calm down.” Remus berated.

He rested a hand on Sirius’ shoulder, squeezing gently when the man turned to face him. Remus deeply sympathized with his mate, seeing the unshed tears in his eyes. Remus pulled the Animagus close, fully knowing that they both needed the comfort each other’s touch provided. They eventually pulled away after a while and braced themselves for what they were about to hear.

“Look, all we know is that she’s in the Forbidden Forest somewhere.” Alyssa softly explained, “The professors are already looking for her. They told us not to contact you yet but we knew we had to.”

“What were all of you doing in there?” Remus frowned.

“We can’t tell you. You’ll have to ask Ash.” Alyssa said, purposely not meeting his eyes.

_Dammit, Bambi… What have you gotten yourself into?_

Shaking his head, Remus grabbed onto Sirius and side-apparated them to the edge of the forest. Remus channeled Moony to the surface while Sirius shifted into Padfoot, both knowing that the animals’ instinctual senses would be far more useful for tracking. They then began their search, the desperation in their hearts growing as time ticked. Before they knew it, they’d already been searching for more than an hour. They didn’t stop, they couldn’t. They had no intention of giving up on the one person who they loved most and meant the world to them.

Internally, they begged Lady Magic for some kind of sign, anything that would help them find their beloved Bambi. Fortunately, their prayers were answered. They caught swift movement in the corner of their eyes, a small blue wisp of magic weaving through the trees. Hoping against all odds, they followed it as it led them somewhere. Arriving at a small clearing, the sight before them nearly made their hearts stop.

Ashley was right there in the middle of the clearing, laid stomach-down with her large familiar protectively coiled around her. However, what completely terrified Remus and Sirius was that she was unconscious and stock still. The worst kind of thoughts ran through their minds as they scrambled to get to her. They crashed to their knees beside her, ignoring the pain that brought on. While Remus whipped his wand out to scan her for injuries, Sirius gently turned her over to let her rest on her back.

“She’s still breathing, she’s okay!” Sirius nearly sobbed in relief, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“We need to get her to Poppy.” Remus insisted.

Nodding, Sirius swept Ashley off the ground while Remus carried a newly _Reducio_ ’d Moko. Together, they apparated to the hospital wing. Poppy was already there, having been instructed by McGonagall to wait for whoever found Ashley. The matron ordered Sirius to lay the unconscious Gryffindor on a bed as Remus cast _Periculum_ out the nearest window, meaning to signal the professors to end their search. Pocketing his wand, the tawny-haired man turned and watched as Poppy further examined his cub. To his and Sirius’ utter relief, there was nothing wrong with their Bambi aside from a small oddity with her core. Poppy assured them it was nothing detrimental, most likely the result of a spell that had attempted to block her magic. Poppy left after that, confident that her patient would be alright under the Marauders’ protection.

The two men summoned chairs to take their place on either side of Ashley, able to somewhat relax now that they knew she was safe. Leaving Moko to rest just above her head, they held her hands in theirs and tried to get as comfortable as possible, ready to wait until she was awake. Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long. Not even a few minutes after they were settled, Ashley began to stir. They held their breath as her eyes fluttered open, her gaze roaming the room until it landed on them.

“Siri? Remy?” Ashley murmured unsurely.

She squeaked in surprise as her soul-bonded suddenly surged from their seats to lunge at her. Captured in their tight embrace, she had no other choice but to lay still and listen to their loving whispers as they rained kisses upon her face. Not that she was complaining, of course. She was all for any kind of affection Sirius and Remus were willing to give her, which was typically a lot.

“Ah, Ashley. I’m glad to see you’re alright.”

Sirius had half a mind to shout at whoever interrupted his moment with his goddaughter and mate. The urge to do exactly that failed to falter as he turned to see who it was. In fact, the urge only strengthened because standing at the foot of the bed next to an irritated Poppy was Dumbledore, the one person none of those present had wanted to see. Narrowing his eyes, Sirius didn’t dare move from his spot, only tightening his hold on Ashley and Remus. The Animagus was determined to discomfort the headmaster as much as possible with such a blatant display of affection.

“You had us all very worried. Do you mind telling us what happened?” Dumbledore asked, sounding oh so _very_ concerned.

“Uh, yeah. My memory’s a bit fuzzy, but I can remember a few things.” Ashley supplied.

“Go on.”

“I…was out on a stroll with Moko because I couldn’t sleep. I turned the corner and saw this hooded figure. He was looking for something, I think, but then he saw me. He was too fast. He threw a spell at me and the next thing I know, I’m here.”

Ashley was very thankful for the telepathic connection she had with the other Marauders. If it weren’t for that, she could have botched her ruse since her story wouldn’t have matched Cedric’s. The elder Hufflepuff had told the staff that while on his Prefect patrolling, he’d seen a hooded figure carrying Ashley into the forest. He had attempted to follow them but the stranger, probably sensing him, started running. Cedric lost sight of them after that. None of that was true but the important thing was that Dumbledore believed it.

“Care to tell us the truth?” Sirius piped up after Dumbledore _finally_ left.

“I did.” Ashley frowned, panicking internally.

“Don’t do that.” Remus shook his head disapprovingly.

Ashley nervously swallowed, refusing to meet her soul-bonded’s eyes. They always seemed to know when she was lying. It must have been the connection between the three of them. Despite Sirius and Remus’ ignorance towards it, they would always have a sense of each other that signified their bond. Ashley didn’t appreciate it at the moment.

“What you’re hiding… Is it the reason you’ve been so distant?” Remus asked softly.

“Not…exactly.” Ashley winced.

“Then you have better start explaining.” Sirius deadpanned.

“ _Ashley_.” He continued through gritted teeth after seconds of strained silence.

“Siri, I can’t-” Ashley protested.

“Why?!” Sirius exploded, “Why can’t you trust us with this?! All these secrets, they’ll get you killed and we wouldn’t even know until it’s too late!”

Breaking free from the anger clouding his mind, the Animagus belatedly realized that he had stood from the bed, chest heaving and fists clenched by his side. Remus regarded him with sad eyes, making him aware of the trembling girl in his hold. Ashley had curled herself against Remus’ chest as she looked down at her lap, eyes wet with unshed tears. When Sirius reached out to touch her, to his utter devastation, she flinched away. She was scared…of _him_.

“…Listen to me, Bambi.” Remus said, wanting to diffuse the situation.

“Do you realize how scared we were?” He asked softly, “To be told you’d just disappeared in the middle of the night… And then finding you passed out like that? Darling, it was _horrible_. We thought we were too late.”

“I’m sorry! I want to tell you everything, I do, but I’m just so _scared_ …” Ashley sniffled.

“Of _what_ , Bambi?”

“I’m scared you won’t love me anymore, that you’ll leave me once you know...”

“ _Nothing_ will stop us from loving you. You’re our entire world, darling. Have faith in our love for you.”

Nodding, Ashley took a deep breath as she attempted to gather enough courage to speak. She was the Gryffindor Heiress, for Merlin’s sake! She had to be brave, for herself, and for her soul-bonded. No one in the world deserved to know about her secret dealings more than they did. They would worry more, she was sure, but at least they would be aware of just how much danger she was willingly putting herself in. And being skilled duelists themselves, they would be of great help to the inevitable war. So, with her mind made up, Ashley finally told them everything.

“Are you mad?” She timidly asked, assuming the worst from her soul-bonded’s lack of response.

“No... No, we’re not…mad.” Remus assured her, “Just give us a little time to think about all this, okay?”

“Okay…” She hesitantly nodded.

“You should rest.” Remus advised.

“B-but I’m fine.” Ashley frowned.

“Please, just do as we say.” Remus sighed, looking every bit as tired as he probably felt.

Biting her lip, Ashley lowered her gaze and mutely settled under the covers. She shut her eyes upon feeling a hand run through her hair, followed by a gentle kiss placed on her famous scar. She heard the sound of feet shuffling across the floor, causing her heart to clench as they eventually faded into nothing. The lone comfort she had was the miniature snake curled around her neck. Just as she decided to actually get some rest, she sensed multiple auras heading her way.

“Ashley!” The young Marauders exclaimed.

“Guys, hey. What are you doing here?” Ashley blinked, pushing herself to sit up.

“What-? You disappeared on us, and you ask _that_?!” Cora asked incredulously.

“In my defense, I really didn’t know that would happen.” Ashley pouted.

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake…” Thalia sighed, “We’re just really glad you’re still alive.”

“Got things to do. Can’t die yet.” Ashley laughed and shrugged.

“Speaking of things to do, did you get it?” Heaven raised her eyebrows curiously.

Nodding, Ashley dug through her robe pocket and fished out the silver leaf she’d acquired. Its magical properties were evident with the fact that it still gleamed brightly, as lustrous as ever despite not being attached to its branch anymore. Ashley handed it over to Alyssa who carefully accepted it with an open palm. In her excitement, the Slytherin turned to her soul-bonded and pulled him by the front of his robes, their lips meeting in a chaste kiss. The Malfoy Heir turned bright red, matching the hair of the grinning twins standing just behind him. The rest of the Marauders burst out laughing with Ashley soon following, her earlier heartache momentarily forgotten.

Meanwhile, Sirius and Remus stood outside in the empty hallway, leaning side by side against the wall. Contrary to Ashley’s belief, they hadn’t left. They had no intention to, not until Ashley was out of the hospital wing and back safely in her dorm. They just needed space in order to think clearly. Learning that their Bambi was helping the megalomaniac murderer that had killed their friends, her parents, was a bit overwhelming. They needed to discuss a couple of things. However, before they could, Remus caught a familiar yet very unwelcome scent.

“Black, Lupin, haven’t seen you since the war.” Barty mused.

“You’re supposed to be dead.” Sirius darkly said, his and Remus’ wands raised threateningly.

“Along with the Dark Lord and your goddaughter, yes, but aren’t you glad we’re not?” Barty smirked.

“Don’t you fucking _dare_ bring her into this.” Sirius snarled, “What the hell are you doing here, Crouch?”

“I’m here for her, actually.” Barty casually informed.

“Azkaban must have ruined you worse than they did me if you actually think we’ll let you near her.” Sirius scoffed.

“Not your choice to make, I’m afraid. I’m here to check on her. Dark Lord’s orders.” Bart remarked.

“You don’t need to see her to do that. We can tell you.” Remus piped in, casting his mate a sharp look when he went to protest.

“What do you need from her?” The werewolf continued.

“Like I said, I’m here to check on her. Word travels fast. The Dark Lord heard about what happened to her.” Barty said, tilting his head.

“Tell Voldemort she’s fine… And that she has what he needs.” Remus glared.

“Alright, I can tell when I’m not welcome. We’ll talk more next time.” Barty grinned, always eager to provoke.

“ _Leave_.” The two Marauders growled.

Barty laughed and disapparated, leaving Sirius and Remus to ponder about what was needed to be done. There was never any doubt that they would follow Ashley into war if she wanted them to. They would lay down their lives for her if worst came to worst. Now that they knew what she was up to, they were going to do their best to keep her safe and stay by her side through everything. They just had to prove it to her.

****Hours later…** **

Ashley sat within the confines of the Marauders’ secret cave, anxiously waiting for her soul-bonded to arrive. The two men had left not long after Poppy cleared her from the hospital wing. However, they had given Potter Heiress a note, requesting her to meet them just before midnight. They mentioned nothing else, except for needing to have a talk with her. It was very vague, enough to send her thoughts into a panic.

“ _Little one, you look troubled. Shouldn’t you be happy you’ll be with your soul-bonded for the night?_ ” Moko hissed worriedly.

“ _…Moko, what if they don’t show up?_ ” Ashley murmured, unsure.

“ _That’s impossible, they would never do that to you! Why would you ever think that?_ ”

“ _I don’t know! Maybe because they just found out that I’m working with the Dark Lord they’ve been fighting since before I was born! How can they possibly still want anything to do with me after learning_ that _?!_ ”

Frustrated, Ashley stood and began pacing, sporadically wiping at her eyes. She was at it for quite some time until a faint _crack_ sounded from just outside. She turned her wide-eyed gaze to the mouth of the cave, almost gaping in disbelief upon seeing Sirius and Remus there, the former carrying a long, black, rectangular box. If the Potter Heiress had focused on the box, she could have figured out that it looked akin to a wand case, but all her attention was on her soul-bonded.

“W-what are you doing here?”

“Well, we said to meet us here, didn’t we?”

“It’s just… I mean, I thought…”

“Is that why you’ve been crying? Darling, come here…”

Sniffling, Ashley ran into Remus’ open arms and hugged his torso as tight as she could, a gesture he happily returned. Sirius stood off to the side, hesitant to approach until Ashley reached out for him, urging him to join her and Remus. Relieved, the Animagus stepped towards them and each wrapped an arm around his mate and pup. He had thought for sure that Ashley would be jittery around him after his outburst earlier. He was beyond glad that she wasn’t.

“Hush now, Bambi. We’re here now. We just got a bit…distracted.”

Sirius sounded apologetic, but the cheeky grin he sent Remus said otherwise. Watching the werewolf turn red, Ashley giggled at the obvious implication of what had happened in order for them to arrive late.

“Never mind that.” Remus quickly deflected, “We got you something.”

He pulled away from the shared embrace and motioned for Sirius to give their gift to Ashley. Curious, Ashley accepted the box and carefully took the lid off. Inside was a slick, dark brown wand resting on top of a blood red cushion. Its handle was an intricately carved silver, both ends ringed with small emeralds. In the middle, a single crest stood out, one that belonged to the House of Black.

“You’re giving me a second wand.” Ashley whispered, awed.

“Yes, we are. It’s been passed down through generations of Blacks. Eleven inches, unyielding, made of Acacia with a Horned Serpent core… It’s powerful, but very picky. It hasn’t been used in years but I have a feeling it’ll like you.” Sirius smirked.

“Thank you!”

“Don’t thank me just yet. Let’s put that wand to the test. Have to make sure it isn’t defective.”

“How?”

“If you’re going to be fighting Dumbledore, you need to learn how to duel properly. The Ministry won’t even be able to track this wand, an advantage of coming from a dark and ancient family.”

Sirius and Remus then urged Ashley to take her new wand in hand. She did so enthusiastically, passing the box over to Remus along the way. She felt the instant shift of her core once she was holding the wand. The emeralds gained the same Killing Curse glow of her eyes, causing the two elder Marauders to share smug grins. They had made the right decision.

“Are you ready, Bambi?”

Beaming, Ashley nodded. As long as her soul-bonded were with her, she was ready for anything.


	14. Whole

Just two weeks before Christmas break, deep in Hogwarts’ dungeons, Ashley sat on a tall stool in Snape’s personal potions laboratory. Crossing one leg over the other, she watched the stoic Potions Master glide around the room, mechanically switching between three cauldrons. The cauldron carried varying potions with equally varying colors and consistencies. However, as important as they individually were, Snape paid special attention to the one situated in front of Ashley. The potion, reflective and luminous, was a pale white with streaks of barely noticeable silver while smelling subtly sweet, like a flower. It was the long-awaited Elixir of Life, exactly a month in the making, just as Snape’s book had instructed.

“It’s almost done. It only needs the last ingredient. Miss Potter, if you will?”

Hopping off her stool, Ashley wandlessly summoned a small knife to her hand as she approached the cauldron. She cut a small wound along her forefinger and hovered it above the cauldron, moving it only when precisely three drops of blood had been added to the potion. The blood stained the white liquid until it eventually faded as if it hadn’t been there in the first place. Snape then stepped forward and secured a small portion of the Elixir in a small, clear flask, sealing it off with a cork.

“Thanks for this, Professor.” Ashley smiled, pocketing the flask as it was handed to her.

“There’s no need to thank me, Miss Potter.” Snape drawled.

“But there is!” Ashley stubbornly protested, “I know you haven’t been quite the biggest fan of Tom since my mother died, but you’re still helping him, and you’re helping me so… Thanks.”

“It’s the right thing to do.” Snape muttered, turning away.

“And for what it’s worth,” He continued quietly, “I no longer blame the Dark Lord for her death. I am…content with knowing that I will be contributing to Dumbledore’s downfall.”

Ashley didn’t miss how his somber tone took on a more bitter one as he mentioned the Hogwarts headmaster. She silently slipped out of the room, leaving Snape alone with his thoughts. Through the shortcuts the castle provided her, she reached Gryffindor tower in no time. She headed up to her dorm room and plopped down her bed, just in time to witness Hedwig fly in. It was like the snowy owl had sensed Ashley’s need for her, which was just very convenient for the Potter Heiress. It meant that she didn’t have to travel all the way to the owlery anymore.

“Hey, girl.” She greeted affectionately, “Mind sending something home for me?”

To answer her owl’s curious head tilt, she opened her trunk with a flick of her wrist and levitated from it two nearly identical objects. They were mirrors, two new ones the Potter Heiress had created overnight. One was embedded with a black star diopside, the other with amber, perfect for her two soul-bonded. She placed both in a small box, alongside a short note for instructions, before sending it off with Hedwig. Minutes after the owl disappeared into the distance, Ashley grabbed her own mirror and contacted the very reason for the Elixir she’d risked her life to make.

“What do you want?” Tom snapped, glaring through the glass.

“You know, if you’re going to act like a prat, then I guess I won’t tell you the good news.” Ashley huffed.

“I…apologize. It has been a very stressful day.” Tom sighed, aggravated.

“I know exactly what’ll cheer you up.” Ashley grinned.

She rummaged through her pocket and came up with the Elixir, enthusiastically presenting it to the Dark Lord whose mouth nearly dropped open.

“Is that…?”

“Yep. It’s finally done.”

“Get ready. I’m sending you a portkey.”

“I’ll be waiting!”

Ending the call, Ashley reached for her trusty satchel and stuffed her mirror inside it, careful of the other items inside it. She adjusted the satchel’s strap over her shoulder and Moko, too, around her neck before hurrying into the common room to warn her friends she’d be gone for a while. She had no doubt that preparing Tom’s ritual would take long and she had every intention of staying with him throughout the entirety of it. She would do it for him, and for Henrik, who definitely would have wanted to be there for his soul-bonded.

Around fifteen minutes passed before Avalar was perched on one of the windowsills, holding a small pouch with his beak. It was obvious who had sent him. Even though Tom had an owl of his own (whom he named Hyde), it was far less conspicuous to use the Malfoys’ messenger owl in case a letter arrived during one of the daily meals or so. That way, Dumbledore couldn’t start suspecting Ashley of communicating with someone outside of her known circle.

The Potter Heiress accepted the pouch and offered Avalar a small treat in return before he flew off. She then reached into the pouch and uncovered a silver Muggle coin. Not a second later, she found herself standing unsteadily in the middle of Tom’s personal quarters. The aforementioned Slytherin Lord was lounging on his favorite armchair, looking mildly impressed at the fact that Ashley was still on her feet. He gracefully pushed himself up and walked towards the raven-haired girl, holding his hand out. Ashley willingly handed the Elixir over to him, grinning at the way his eyes lit up upon seeing it.

“I brought the book with me. I have to be the one to perform the ritual for you since it’s my blood in the Elixir.”

Tom nodded absently, an action he typically wouldn’t have been connected to. However, he was too distracted. In a few hours’ time, his soul would be fixed, irrevocably complete in a way it had not been for the majority of his life. He was ecstatic, but oh so nervous at the same time. His fear of death had not been the only reason for his Horcruxes. Truthfully, it hadn’t made that big of a contribution to his choice of splitting his soul. The real reason? Henrik. The pain of separation had been too much for Tom and spurred by Dumbledore’s compulsions, he went through with the Myrtle girl’s murder. It eased the pain somewhat. Every Horcrux made him feel number. Memories brought back bits of the suffering but not too much since his bond with Henrik had been fragmented. But now… He just had to gather his fragments and then-

“We’re missing the cup.” He suddenly realized.

“Oh… Wait, can the Lady or Lord of a certain House access all of the descendants’ vaults?”

“Only if the descendant is unable to attend to the vault and the goblins give their approval. Why?”

“Sirius! He’s Lord Black. I can ask him to get the cup from Bellatrix’s vault.”

“Are you sure he’ll be up to that?”

“He and Remus would do anything for me.”

Ashley really wasn’t bragging. She was only telling the truth she knew by heart. If siding with Tom hadn’t tempted her soul-bonded to abandon her, then nothing would. So really, her unusual request for Sirius to go and retrieve Hufflepuff’s cup was nothing compared to that. Also, he and Remus already knew that she had to perform a ritual. They weren’t clueless anymore.

“You’re not at Hogwarts.”

That was the first thing out of Sirius’ mouth when Ashley fire-called him through Tom’s fireplace. She didn’t know how he knew she wasn’t at the castle but she assumed it had something to do with his instincts. Their bond, perhaps? Either way, Sirius _knew_. He seemed only mildly exasperated though so that was a good sign.

“Yeah, I’m not. I’m at Malfoy Manor and I was wondering if I could ask for a _small_ favor…”

With a flash of Ashley’s perfected puppy dog eyes, Sirius succumbed to her request with as little protest as possible. Tom could admit that he was somewhat surprised that the Black Lord had given in so easily, but he understood it. Remembering all the times Henry had made him say yes to all sorts of things, Tom couldn’t judge Sirius for wanting to please his soul-bonded.

While waiting for Gryphon to arrive with Hufflepuff’s cup, the two Hogwarts Heirs began to prepare for the ritual. They moved into the family room where there was more space for it, passing Barty along the way. The Death Eater bowed his head respectfully to the Dark Lord but sent Ashley a cheeky smirk, one the Potter Heiress nonchalantly ignored. Barty visibly pouted, his grin only returning once he spotted the smile Ashley hid. He continued on his merry way after that, his day officially made by the simple interaction.

Ashley and Tom arrived at the family room, simultaneously waving their wands (new wand, in Ashley’s case) to momentarily clear the furniture. Ashley conjured a small piece of chalk and sketched the diagram for the ritual. It wasn’t all that complicated, just a large circle connected to five smaller circles for each Horcrux Tom was meant to absorb. The tedious part was the repetitive sketching of the necessary runes that had to surround each circle. Thankfully, Tom was there to help. He and Ashley finished just as Gryphon turned up. Ashley made sure that Tom and the Horcruxes were in their respective places and then began chanting.

“ _Magicis meis invocabo… Et locavit eam influent resurgemus…_ ”

The Potter Heiress felt her core spark to life, causing her magic to fill the air in the form of green translucent tendrils. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes glowed brilliantly with raw power as she read from the book. The entirety of the sketched diagram began to glow as well, causing Tom to go stiff with unease.

“ _Reducendum quod perierat… Ut iam omnis anima…_ ”

Suddenly, Tom was floating off the ground, unable to move or speak as a painful pressure built up within him. His Horcruxes trembled violently until the soul fragments separated from the items housing them. Accompanied by almost animalistic shrieks, the soul fragments looked positively horrific. Each one was a swirling mess of grey smoke, Tom’s disfigured face showing up from time to time. They rose into the air and formed a loose ring around the still Dark Lord.

“ _Ad recuperandam defuit fragmentorum plenos… Ut iam omnis anima!_ ”

With that last line, the soul fragments entered Tom’s body, forcing a strangled scream out through his mouth. The sudden completion of his soul overwhelmed his core, causing it to act out and send a massive wave of his magic outwards. Ashley was thrown back by the wave, landing on her back a few feet away from where she had originally stood. Groaning, she pushed herself up and gasped upon seeing Tom sprawled on the floor. She rushed over and helped him sit up, letting him lean his weight against her.

“Tom, are you alright?” She worried.

“Yes…” Tom mumbled.

“How do you feel?” Ashley asked, concerned.

“ _Whole._ ” Tom hissed, red eyes shining triumphantly.

After days of proper recovery and preparation, the Dark Lord now was standing outside the very building that held the majority of his most gifted and most loyal followers. Flanking him were Barty and Ashley, the former on his left and the latter, his right. They were dressed quite casually, just simple black robes, all except for Tom who Ashley thought for sure didn’t know how to do such a thing. In his defense, he had a reputation to uphold. Hell would have to freeze over before he let the prison guards see him as anything less than a powerful Dark Lord, never mind that those guards would be dead soon enough. It was the thought that counted.

Sensing the looming presence of the approaching Dementors, Tom narrowed his eyes and set his gaze upon the dark creatures. He had nothing to be afraid of. After all, he had Death’s Chosen One with him. Still, he readied his wand just in case. It had been a long while since he’d seen his Patronus. He’d only cast the charm once in his life and that was during his fourth year in Hogwarts, when he still had his love. He wasn’t sure if he could cast it again but he would try if necessary. Of course, it proved to be unnecessary like he originally thought. The Dementors took one look at Ashley and immediately saw the mark Death left in her aura. They gladly left the trio alone after that.

Tom cast the exploding charm at the entrance, successfully garnering the guards’ attention. Ashley and Barty closely followed as he led the way, stunning enemies and protecting each other. The elder of the two noticed how well they worked together but decided not to comment for once. He didn’t want to distract Ashley. She needed to focus, their current situation was quite dangerous. Luckily, all the guards made the mistake of hesitating when they recognized the famed Girl-Who-Lived attacking them alongside the man she was supposed to beat. The trio quickly took advantage of this and moments later, they were the only ones left standing.

To Ashley’s insistence, she was left behind as Tom and Barty apparated up to the uppermost levels of the prison. She stepped over a few dead bodies to get to the guard’s desk and searched for the Dursleys’ files. See, she doubted her relatives were placed near the same level as Tom’s inner circle. Child abuse was a very serious thing but in the Ministry’s eyes, it was less than mass murder and torture so Ashley figured that the Dursleys had been placed somewhere around the middle levels. She just had to find out the specific level because she had no plans of looking through every single cell until she found what she came for.

She found Petunia’s file first and didn’t bother searching for Vernon’s. The Potter Heiress figured their cells were near each other, and she was right. Upon apparating outside of her aunt’s cell, she learned that her uncle was right next door. It made her job much easier. Even with the dim lighting the moonlight provided through the small cell window, she could see the dirty and disheveled states of her abusers. She would be lying if she said that the sight didn’t bring her a sense of sick satisfaction.

“Ashley, is that you?”

“Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, how _wonderful_ it is to see you again. Did you miss me?”

“What are _you_ doing here, girl?”

“Oh uncle, I was sure Azkaban would have done _something_ to calm your temper but it seems I was wrong. You’re even more purple than I remember!”

“How dare you-!”

Ashley lowered her wand, snickering as Vernon tried and failed to open his mouth, now only capable of making muffled noises. It felt good to finally shut him up. Ashley had wanted to do that since she first saw him but well, better late than never. She turned towards Petunia, feeling smug at the way the woman was staring fearfully at her wand.

“W-what are you doing here?” Petunia weakly asked.

“Me? I just came here to help the Dark Lord, but since you’re here…” Ashley purposely trailed off, loving the dread in Petunia’s eyes.

“I might as well make the most of this. I have something to prove, being Lord Voldemort’s equal and all that.” Ashley shrugged.

“No… N-no, please!” Petunia pleaded, “Ashley, think of your parents! Lily-”

“My _mother_ wouldn’t have let you get away with how much you hurt me! She _loved_ me, and she _died_ for me, just so what, you could abuse me? Oh no… Since she’s not around to make you pay, it’ll be my pleasure to do it for her.” Ashley growled.

She slowly raised her wand, an ominous red glow painting its tip, and pointed it at Petunia’s quivering form. Petunia cried and begged desperately for her life but Ashley was numb to it all. The Potter Heiress was remembering every insult, every punishment, every hit she’d been forced to take. The memories only strengthened her resolve, that her darling relatives deserved no mercy at her hand. Unbeknownst to her, she had gained an audience comprised of Tom and his inner circle (minus Lucius and Snape, of course) during her speech. The newly-freed Lestranges nearly hexed the girl on instinct but refrained from doing so once they noticed that their Lord didn’t see her as a threat. Instead, they watched on in fascination, the younger of the three more interested by a degree.

“ _Make them pay, little Horcrux._ ” Tom wickedly urged.

“ _I will_. _Crucio_!”

Petunia’s screams pierced through the air as soon as the red light struck her. She collapsed to the floor, writhing with her face contorted in obvious pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she screamed herself hoarse. She was basically pleading for Ashley to stop when their eyes met but Ashley couldn’t find it in herself to care. Instead, she stopped the Unforgivable and subsequently cast several bone-breaking hexes, resulting in a very malformed Petunia. Relishing the woman’s broken sobbing, Ashley decided then that it was her uncle’s turn.

Judging from the way Vernon paled exponentially, he realized this. Ashley sent him a cruel smirk and cast _Diffindo_ , severing his left forearm with a single flick of her wand. His scream, although muffled, did not fail to satisfy her. He shakily grabbed at his stump in an attempt to stop the blood from gushing out of him. Ashley gladly made it worse by using her favorite Potions professor’s spell. It was such a good thing she’d learned a spell that would forcefully keep her victims awake. She didn’t want either of them to faint from the pain or the blood loss. That would end their suffering much too quickly for her taste, and speaking of suffering…

Tilting her head, the Potter Heiress turned and faced the present Death Eaters with a plan in mind. The Lestrange brothers were staring at her with varying levels of shock, in contrast to Bellatrix who adorned a crazed, ecstatic smile. None of them had ever imagined that the light’s champion would ever be capable of _torture_. Barty, on the other hand, was both proud and impressed.

“I’m sure the four of you are aching for some practice. Please, be my guests.” Ashley said, gesturing towards her relatives.

Delighted, Bellatrix immediately stepped forward with her new wand already raised. She strolled towards Petunia while Rodolphus trailed behind her with a smirk. Barty shared a grin with Rabastan before approaching Vernon, both eyeing Ashley with something she didn’t quite catch as they passed by her. She didn’t give it any more thought as she took her place beside Tom, watching as her relatives were tormented for her.

“How do you feel?” Tom asked, glancing at her in the corner of his eyes.

“… _Whole_.” She answered, eyes glowing amidst the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the late upload but my cramps gave me HELL this week. I'll try my best to stay on schedule but I apologize in advance if I can't. Final's period is bound to kill me. Anyway, here's the chant, just in case any of you were curious. The Latin translation definitely won't match this because I just used Google ❤
> 
> "I call forth my magic  
> Let it flow and rise  
> Bring back what had been lost  
> May the soul be whole once more  
> Recover the missing fragments  
> May the soul be whole once more"


	15. Henrik Stone

The Hogwarts Express arrived at Platform 9¾ on a late December afternoon, just a couple of hours before sundown. As soon as the train doors opened, a blizzard of students came flocking out. Among the lively crowd was Ashley who, surrounded by her adequately large circle of friends, immediately headed towards the luggage car to retrieve her things. Once she had all her personal belongings accounted for, she glanced around before subtly shrinking them to fit into her pocket, leaving only Hedwig’s cage (and Hedwig) for her to carry. She embraced each of her friends before wandering off to search for Sirius and Remus. Lucky for her, it didn’t take too long.

“Bambi!”

Ashley whirled around, grinning automatically when her gaze caught sight of both of her soul-bonded. She hurried forward and jumped straight their open arms, giggling as they cuddled her close. Remus just held her quietly, opposite to Sirius who kept rambling about how much they missed her. Feeling left out, Moko slithered out from beneath her scarf and nudged both men. The older Marauders chuckled and greeted the serpent before releasing Ashley and stepping back a bit.

“Ready to go home?”

Ashley nodded enthusiastically, adjusting her scarf as her familiar crawled back under it. She let Remus take the owl cage and latched on to Sirius’ extended arm. The three of them apparated home where Kreacher welcomed the Potter Heiress with a plate of freshly baked cookies. She enjoyed the treats, eventually sharing them with Sirius and Remus to appease their pouting. After tasking Kreacher with bringing her things to her room, Ashley then spent the rest of the day catching up with her soul-bonded.

The next morning was tame compared to all the fun they had during the evening. Sirius had made them play all sorts of Muggle games and had even convinced them to roll around in the snow with him. Ashley had been all for it, not having had a chance to properly appreciate the winter season yet. Remus, on the other hand, had been understandably hesitant at first. The last full moon had left him drained but seeing his mate and cub so happy together… He’d been willing to do anything to keep his pack like that, so he gave in. But now, he and Ashley were relaxing in the library, sitting across one another on different couches. Remus was reading some ancient tome he found somewhere near the back of the room while Ashley was studying Parselmagic.

“Remy?” Ashley piped up, drawing out the last syllable.

“Yes, cub?” Remus answered, turning a page.

“I’m craving ice-cream.” Ashley announced, placing her book down.

“Well, then it’s a good thing I bought a whole tub yesterday. Let’s hope your godfather didn’t find it first.” Remus sighed in mock exasperation.

He bookmarked the page he was reading before placing the tome down on the seat beside him and standing up. He paused in his steps when Ashley reached for him with both arms, those bright, heart-melting eyes of hers staring expectantly at him. Shaking his head fondly, he crouched down to allow her to climb on his back. Once her arms were secured around his neck, he gripped her thighs for further support and headed out of the library. The closer they got to their destination, the louder Remus heard the commotion in the dining room.

“Sirius, you better not have-”

Remus froze as he entered the room, shocked stock still by the many guests he had not been expecting. Sirius hadn’t been expecting them either, judging by the sour look on his face, but at least he was acting civil. That was something Remus was having difficulties with at the moment. His eyes had most likely turned amber already because he could feel just how close Moony was to the surface.

Now, Moony could be described as a lot of things. Territorial and protective were two of those things, and those two traits of his were currently being triggered. Not by the Weasleys (missing only Ginny, Percy, and the twins), Mitchelle, Tonks, Kingsley, or McGonagall… Not even by Snape. No, the reasons Moony wanted to go on a rampage were the two lying, heartless bastards standing near the corner of the room. Dumbledore, who had raised Ashley like a pig for slaughter, and Moody, who Kreacher revealed as the man who murdered Sirius’ brother without a second thought. Moony wanted to be nowhere near them. They were threats to _his_ home and _his_ pack. He wanted to rip them apart, piece by piece, until there was nothing left but blood. He wanted to avenge his mate and cub who had suffered because of them. He _wanted_ -

“Play nice, Moony.”

Remus swallowed down the growl making its way up his throat and took a deep, calming breath. It was a good thing Moony always listened Ashley, or else he might have just lost control. That wouldn’t have gone well, especially if he had ended up attacking. He had an image to keep. He couldn’t let his bloodthirstiness ruin everything his cub had worked for. Sighing, he placed a tender kiss on Ashley’s cheek before lowering her to the ground. However, he didn’t let her move away. He situated her to stand in front of him, her back pressed against his chest with his hands resting on her shoulders. Sirius came to stand beside them, comfortingly wrapping an arm around his mate’s waist.

“Remus, Ashley, it’s wonderful to see you.” Molly smiled warmly.

“Hi, Aunt Molly. Hey…everyone else.” Ashley waved.

“Wotcher, Ashley! I’m Nymphadora Tonks, but just Tonks is fine.” Tonks grinned.

“Oh, _you’re_ Tonks! Sirius told me you’re a Metamorphmagus. Can you show me?” Ashley said, eyes wide with excitement.

Laughing, Tonks began shifting. Her bubblegum pink hair darkened and lengthened, her eyes brightened, her height shortened, until she was no longer herself (physically, at least). Instead, in her place was a perfect copy of one Elizabeth Ashley Potter, complete with the famous scar on her forehead. Ashley, the real one, giggled and grabbed onto Remus’ hands, prompting the werewolf to lean down and nuzzle her head.

Per Moody’s demand, Tonks begrudgingly shifted back to bring all the attention to Dumbledore. The old wizard, twinkling eyes and all, introduced the rest of the ‘unknown’ company to the Potter Heiress. She was as polite as physically possible, which was hard considering the fact that she had to restrain herself in the presence of both Moody and Dumbledore. Still, she managed.

“So…” Ashley trailed off, “Not that I don’t want any of you here, but why _are_ you here?”

At that, the adults (not including Sirius and Remus) all shared a look. Ashley very nearly rolled her eyes. The Order had always made it so obvious that they were hiding something, even in front of people they were supposed to be hiding from. No wonder Harry had been so frustratingly curious all the time. Ashley would have been like that too if she didn’t already know about the Order’s existence. However, she didn’t know what the Order was planning this time. If she could convince them to let her participate…

“Bambi, why don’t you show Alyssa and Mitch your room?” Sirius quickly suggested, dreading the thoughtful look in his goddaughter’s eyes.

“But-” She attempted to protest.

“I’ll send Kreacher up with the ice-cream.” Remus assured, gently squeezing her shoulders.

The Potter Heiress pondered silently before nodding with a slight pout. She and her soul-bonded had agreed to no more secret between the three of them. She trusted them to stay true to their word, which meant they would tell her every little happening in each Order meeting. Tom wasn’t the only one allowed to have a spy, and Ashley had two, three if Snape was counted.

Pulling away from Sirius and Remus, Ashley linked arms with her friends as they approached with their familiars and left the dining room together. She led them to her room where they all immediately decided to lounge on her bed. She and Alyssa were both laying down on their back, resting on either side of Mitchelle who was propped up against the board with a pillow in her lap. Their respective familiars were at their feet, the two feline play-fighting while Moko kept watch over them. Ashley quietly listened to Mitchelle chatter alongside Alyssa. The Hufflepuff was talking about how lucky she’d been that she’d visited the Burrow at the right time, or else she wouldn’t be sitting with her friends at the moment.

“How was it?” Alyssa suddenly asked.

“How was what?” Ashley replied.

“The breakout! You never did tell us.” Alyssa complained.

“It was…fun.” Ashley shrugged.

“That seems like a huge understatement.” Mitchelle mused.

Snickering, Ashley proceeded to tell the tale of the breakout in great detail. She knew there was no concealing the smugness she felt over what had transpired. There was no regret in her heart over what she did. Well, maybe there was one thing… Ashley regretted the fact that she left her relatives _alive_. Paralyzed and definitely more than a little cracked, but alive nonetheless. Tom had insisted that an unhinged state of mind would cause more pain but Ashley internally disagreed. She thought that meeting Death would be a more fitting punishment. Some part of her figured that the entity would be willing to make the Dursleys’ suffer in her name.

“I wish you would have taken us with you.” Mitchelle huffed, pouting.

“Your parents would have killed me…” Ashley pointed out, “But with that said, I’m taking you on the next one.”

“Another breakout?” Alyssa raised an eyebrow.

“No, not a breakout.” Ashley grinned, “Come on.”

The Golden trio left behind their familiars to have their own fun and crept down the stairs, making sure none of the Order members were in sight. They nearly jumped out of their skin when Kreacher suddenly appeared just as they reached the last step. Fortunately, the house-elf seemed to sense that they were sneaking around and simply handed Ashley the tub of ice-cream silently. Smiling gratefully, she dismissed Kreacher with a nod and continued on down the hall.

Mitchelle and Alyssa stopped when Ashley did as they happened upon a pair of black oak wood doors with silver handles. Grinning, Ashley threw them open, revealing a vast room somewhat similar to the one the DA had used to train in. Letting her friends wander around a bit, she whipped out her wand and set up everything they needed. Training dummies were conjured and targets, plastered on the south wall.

“Wow… What is this place?”

“Sirius said Walburga used this space for family gatherings and whatnot, but he and Remy have been using this place for a whole other reason.”

“Stop right there. I don’t think I want to know.”

“Merlin, not like _that_!”

Ashley cursed Alyssa for bringing the subject up. Now, thanks to the Slytherin, Ashley had very vivid images stuck in the forefront of her mind. It didn’t help that she’d just witnessed such a sight earlier that morning. She didn’t _mean_ to eavesdrop, just like she didn’t mean to eavesdrop the first time, but Sirius and Remus hadn’t even been in their _room_. They’d decided to grope each other in the _kitchen_ where anyone could have walked in on them. Ashley really should have listened to Kreacher when he tried to stop her from entering the room. It would have saved her from the embarrassment. But really, she honestly didn’t mind all that much. What bothered her was that the sight had teased her with the fact that she couldn’t have her soul-bonded yet because she wasn’t of _age_ yet. It was frustrating her to no end, especially since she had to live with them and see them being sweet every damn day. So, she scowled and shook her head to clear her mind, doing her best to ignore her reddened cheeks and cackling friends.

“They’ve been teaching me how to duel.” She said, gesturing towards the dummies.

“I figured I should teach you too. You’re gonna need it.”

The trio achieved much within the span of ten minutes. Ashley really enjoyed teaching her friends all those spells she learned, especially since ice-cream was involved. Maybe she really could teach at Hogwarts someday, just like Cedric had suggested back then. By doing so, she could still be with her soul-bonded when they became professors themselves. They were bound to get tired of sitting around all day. Yes, they frequently went out for dates and what not, and they had each other for company, but they were definitely going to become restless at some point in time. Surely Remus was destined for the DADA position and Sirius… Well, perhaps Sirius could teach Astronomy. Rumor had it that Professor Sinistra was planning on leaving soon. It probably had something to do with the fact that Dumbledore had been so against Remus during the custody battle just because Remus was a werewolf, which had been a personal hit for the woman since her _husband_ was a werewolf. A year had already passed since then but Ashley figured that Sinistra hadn’t left yet because Dumbledore couldn’t hire someone else in her place.

_Huh… What would I teach? Maybe Care of Magical Creatures? That would be fun! Hagrid would probably be happy to let me co-teach it with him._

Ashley was suddenly swept off her feet as a set of arms wrapped around her torso and lifted her off the ground, rudely breaking her free from her thoughts. She was embarrassed to say that she did, in fact, squeak. A bark-like laughter rang through the room, revealing just who had captured her.

“Eek! Siri!” Ashley squealed.

“You should pay more attention, darling. I could’ve been an enemy.” Sirius lightly teased.

“I would’ve known if you were…” Ashley grumbled, “How’d you know we were here?”

“I heard you go down the stairs.” An amused voice answered from behind.

Sirius turned with Ashley still in his arms and grinned at his mate who was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. Righting his posture, Remus approached them and splayed a hand on Sirius’ lower back and another atop Ashley’s head. The raven-haired girl wiggled about, wanting to be placed down. She usually didn’t mind her soul-bonded being playful with her (she loved it, actually), but Alyssa and Mitchelle were _right there_ , whispering to each other and struggling not to laugh. Noticing her soul-bonded’s curious stares, Ashley frantically shook her at the gossiping duo and shooed them away.

“What was that about?” Sirius questioned her, finally letting her go.

“Nothing.” She casually evaded.

“You’re red as Weasley hair. It doesn’t seem like nothing.” Sirius pointed out, rubbing his thumb across her cheek.

“They were teasing, is all.” She shrugged, willing her blush to fade.

She busied herself with cleaning the room, subtly ignoring Sirius’ narrowed gaze and Remus’ frown. There was no way she was owning up to anything. Their bond was a sensitive topic; one she was determined to keep as a secret until the right time came, which was still years to come. She had time to plan and ease both men into the idea of the three of them together.

Picking the half empty, somewhat melted tub of ice-cream up from the floor, she smiled innocently at her soul-bonded and suggested they move back to the family room. Sharing a dubious look, the elder Marauders agreed and slowly trailed after the girl. She was hiding something from them, again. However, they weren’t going to get upset just yet. They trusted that she would tell them what it was eventually. Instead, they revealed the Order’s plans, which really wasn’t much. Each member was expected to be vigilant and to keep a close eye on individuals suspected or confirmed to be affiliated with the Dark Lord. Sirius and Remus had been tasked with Ashley’s safety, of course. Although, they figured that once she was back at Hogwarts, they were to be sent out to gather creature allies.

“Okay, so… I have a question.” Ashley declared.

“That doesn’t sound good.” Remus sighed.

“It’s nothing bad, I’m just…curious.”

“About?”

“Where does Dumbledore stay when he’s not at Hogwarts?”

“…Cub, what are you planning?”

“Well…”

Ashley proceeded to explain the existence of Henrik Stone and the fate he met at Dumbledore’s hands. Sirius and Remus were astonished by the fact that Lord Voldemort, the man born from a love potion, had been blessed with a soul-bond and had fallen in love despite what he was. They now understood him a bit more. Minds made up, they were going to allow Ashley to save Henrik… But definitely not alone.

“We’re going with you.”

“Y-you’re what?”

“We’re going with you. We’re not letting you go to Grindelwald Manor alone.”

“Grindelwald Manor?!”

As it turned out, Sirius and Remus hadn’t been joking like Ashley had thought they were. Why? Because days later, the three of them were crouched behind a clump of bushes in the forest surrounding Grindelwald Manor. Of course, Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen. A little snake (Snape, it was Snape) was keeping him busy somewhere else. Thank Merlin he agreed to distract the old coot, or else saving Henrik would have much harder than it already was. But speaking of Henrik… How the hell were the three of them supposed to get inside? Ashley could feel the manor’s wards. Any closer and Dumbledore would be called back.

“Alright, Moony, work your magic.” Sirius smirked.

Nodding to himself, Remus stood and raised his wand, waving it around as he muttered spells under his breath. Ashley blinked, speechless, as she felt the wards slowly but surely being broken down. Sirius barked out a laugh and threw an arm over her shoulders.

“He’s a Marauder for a reason, but he acts so innocent. You wouldn’t be able to figure out that he was the mastermind of a lot of our more elaborate pranks.”

Ashley grinned at the thought. She could see it so clearly in her mind. A young Remus Lupin, one of Hogwarts’ topnotch students at the time, the only _responsible_ one among the Marauders. Hardworking, studious, and charmingly kindhearted, the professors all adored him. They offered his best friends exasperated stares whenever another group of hexed Slytherins were sent to the hospital wing, and yet nobody thought to notice him. If they did, they would have seen the mischief shining bright within his warm brown eyes. But he preferred it that way, less detentions and whatnot. Yes… Remus Lupin always was, and always will be, a damn menace. Ashley and Sirius couldn’t be any prouder.

Sensing that the wards had dissipated, Ashley nudged her soul-bonded and waded through the shrubbery. They stopped in front of the large entrance and with a deep breath, pushed through the doors. They stepped inside, marveling at the luxury that was Dumbledore’s secret refuge. Shaking her head her head at the overwhelming size of the manor, Ashley turned to her soul-bonded and suggested that they split up to cover more ground. She hurriedly ran off before either of the men could protest.

She wandered down one of the halls, admiring the numerous artworks and antique artifacts she passed. Fortunately, none were alive to rat her out to Dumbledore. _Un_ fortunately, the universe thought it would a good time for her to trip over nothing. She stumbled into a pedestal, knocking it over and causing the vase atop it to shatter upon impact with the floor. She winced but did nothing to fix her mistake, not wanting to leave any more of her magical signature than what was necessary.

“Mistress Bambi!”

Ashley snapped her gaze towards the side, meeting the wide-eyed stare of a female house-elf. The house-elf seemed young but not so, ears lowered and curved like pigtails, wearing dirty rags for clothes. Squealing, she ran over to a shocked Ashley and excitedly tugged on the girl’s robes.

“W-what… How do you know me?” Ashley tilted her head curiously.

“Bippy used to serve the Potters! Bippy was left with family when Master Prongs moved.” Bippy revealed.

With that said, Ashley realized why she had no memories of the house-elf. Sirius did say that her parents used to live at Potter Manor but only for a short while, when Lily was still pregnant. Before Lily gave birth, she and James had moved to Godric’s Hollow at Dumbledore’s insistence. Of course, they were free to come and go as they pleased until after Ashley’s first birthday.

“How come you’re here?”

“Nasty, evil Dumbledore took Bippy from family and chained Bippy to this manor. Bippy can’t leave, but Bippy really wants to!”

“Don’t worry, Bippy. I’ll help find some way to help you, okay?”

“Oh, thank you, thank you!”

“Pup! We heard a crash, are you-Bippy?!”

“Master Padfoot, Master Moony!”

Bippy skipped over to the two Marauders and hugged their legs. _Of course_ she knew them. The Potter family had practically adopted Sirius and Remus into their family, especially the former. Ashley wasn’t going to put much thought into that because the notion of either men as her uncle was just plain uncomfortable. Them being her godfathers, or pseudo-godfather in Remus’ case, was as far as she could take.

Beaming, Bippy offered her help to the trio, ecstatic to finally serve her _real_ masters. Ashley quickly informed her of the stone statue they had come to retrieve, asking the house-elf if she’d seen it anywhere. Bippy frowned and thought for a minute before lighting up. She had good news and bad news. The bad news was that n all her years of unwillingly serving Dumbledore, she had never come across any cursed statue. The good news, on the other hand, was that there was a room in the west wing of the manor that she had never been allowed to enter. If Dumbledore really was holding Henrik captive somewhere within the manor, that room was Ashley’s best bet.

Bippy took the lead and led them through the west wing until they arrived at a chained door. Ashley immediately felt the sinister magic protecting the room. There were more wards around it than the actual manor. It was definitely excessive, but leave it to Dumbledore to do everything in his power to keep his secrets in the dark. Unfortunately for him, the celestials weren’t on his side.

“She’s right. Henrik’s here, I can feel him...” Ashley murmurs.

Nodding to her soul-bonded, the three of them raised their respective wands and proceeded to cancel out the wards. They finished quite quickly, getting rid of the chains as well. Ashley pushed the door open, frowning at the ominous darkness that met her. Casting _Lumos_ , she illuminated the path before her as she stepped forward with her company sticking close to her. Suddenly, the door slammed shut, limiting the light even more. Bippy squeaked in fear and latched on to Ashley’s leg while Sirius and Remus sandwiched the raven-haired girl. Both of the men’s instincts had kicked in, goading them to protect their pack.

Ashley extended her wand further in front of her and gasped at the figures it revealed. _Lethifolds_ , she realized, three of them. Her first thought was to leave immediately but she sensed another ward, an anti-apparition ward. Dumbledore had been prepared for trespassers, the paranoid prick. Must have gotten it from Moody. Ashley’s mind went blank for a second. She’d never actually been faced with a creature ( _creatures_ , in this case) that Harry had never encountered. She was a bit out of her element, but she knew what to do, and so did her soul-bonded.

“ _Expecto Patronum_!” They simultaneously cast.

The tips of their wands glowed luminously and from them shot out beams of light, striking the Lethifolds and hurtling them against the wall. Sirius and Remus’ canine Patronuses formed in front of the group, hackles raised as they readied to attack once more. Ashley’s Patronus was the last to turn corporeal, a feat she didn’t expect to actually happen. She’d practiced the spell before with her soul-bonded but it never fully formed. Now, she understood why because landing just a few ways ahead of Padfoot and Moony, her Patronus manifested as a Night Fury.

The Patronuses lunged forward just as the Lethifolds did and clashed in the middle of the room. Moony, Padfoot, and the Night Fury flawlessly worked together, as if they were in tune with one another. Ashley got the group to move aside before her Patronus (she really needed a name for her dragon) whipped the dark creatures with its tail and sent the three flying out through the door. Moony and Padfoot approached the Night Fury, nuzzling the dragon before dissipating together alongside the anti-apparition ward.

This time, Remus was the one to cast _Lumos_. After checking his mate and cub over to appease his wolf, he took Ashley’s hand in his. Sirius followed suit and together with Bippy, they ventured forward to search for Henrik. It was a tad bit difficult, having to maneuver in the dark with only a small source of light. Dumbledore must have been using the room as some kind of storage because there were boxes _everywhere_. Eventually though, the group happened upon a tall (not really) object concealed under a large black cloth. Eager yet anxious, Ashley pulled the cloth away, unveiling the cursed Henrik. He was stuck wide-eyed, looking both terrified and shocked as he reached underneath his school robe. He must have been going for his wand.

“Bambi, what do we do now?” Remus asked, frowning at the statue.

“I…don’t know. I have no idea how to reverse the curse.” Ashley shrugged helplessly, “We should probably-”

She cut herself off with a gasp as she felt her core spike with a sudden swell of magic. Her eyes began glowing and so did her hands, but there was something distinctly different about them. Their typical green glow was now interweaved with shades of pink, purple and black. Ashley figured the new colors represented the marks the celestials had left in her aura. She didn’t mind the change. In her opinion, it looked great.

She stepped towards Henrik and slowly laid a hand on his chest. Upon contact, her glow spread across his body, slowly but surely removing the curse in its wake until finally, his magic erupted in waves. Henrik was free. All was quiet as he stumbled forward and blinked rapidly. His gaze traveled from Sirius, to Remus, to Ashley. Blue eyes met green ones, but their gazes didn’t hold for too long. Ashley nearly had a heart attack when Henrik crumpled to the floor in a dead faint. His wand rolled out of his robe, stopping at her feet.

“We need to get him out of here.” She said, picking the wand up and keeping it next to her own.

She let Sirius pull her and Bippy to his side as Remus went to pick Henrik up. They apparated home where they rushed to one of the many guest rooms the mansion had. Remus placed Henrik down on the bed and moved to stand beside Ashley.

“How do we know if he’s okay? He’s been cursed for decades.” The Potter Heiress worried, wringing her fingers together.

“We call my cousin.” Sirius firmly declared.

He comfortingly squeezed Ashley’s shoulder and headed out the room with Bippy to fire-call Narcissa. Remus soon followed, right after kissing Ashley on the cheek. She watched the door close before sitting on the edge of the bed and hesitantly placing a hand atop Henrik’s.

_I really hope you’re okay, Henrik… Tom needs you back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, SO sorry about updating so late. It's been about two weeks, I think, and I apologize for that. Online classes have been hectic but that's done now, so that's good news. I promise to get as much done before inspiration leaves me once again. But putting that aside, I wanted to ask you guys something. If I were to write another HP fic about a new OC, perhaps the daughter of a certain archangel-turned-demon, who do you guys think would be a good match for her? Kindly comment your suggestions. You can suggest more than one guy, I obviously don't mind.
> 
> I'm not giving up on this series, by the way. I swear I'll finish this, even if this whole series wrings my right brain dry. I am COMMITTED.


	16. Familiar

Ashley and Sirius stood off to the side, huddled close as they watched Narcissa hover over Henrik. The Malfoy matriarch waved her wand above the unconscious body, casting all kinds of diagnostics spells. She was quite skilled, needing to be in order to look after all the Death Eaters, so she didn’t take too long. Nodding to herself, she pocketed her wand and turned to Sirius and Ashley. The latter could only admire how professional the woman was being. Narcissa had arrived with her Mediwitch bag and had immediately gotten to work. There were no questions asked, nothing about who Henrik was or why he’d been cursed in the first place. All Narcissa cared about was the well-being of her patient, which was great since Ashley didn’t want Tom to know about Henrik _just_ yet. The man had a really bad habit of surging through his followers’ minds without their permission. Must have stemmed from those trust issues of his…

“He’s going to be fine.” Narcissa assured, “As far as I can tell, there’s no lasting damage from the curse. His core is heavily depleted from fighting it for so long but all he needs is proper rest. He’ll wake tomorrow morning.”

“That’s a relief. Thank you for coming, Lady Malfoy.” Ashley smiled gratefully.

“There’s no need for such formalities. You’re my cousin’s goddaughter so please, just call me Narcissa.”

“Narcissa, then. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Just make sure he takes _this_ potion after a meal.”

Narcissa held up a small, transparent bottle capped off with a cork that carried a thick and bubbly yellow liquid, most likely a potion to help Henrik’s core heal faster. Ashley wisely didn’t question the woman and accepted the bottle, gently stuffing it into her pocket. Sirius then accompanied Narcissa out of the room, leaving Ashley with the Dark Lord’s unconscious mate.

“Bippy!” The Potter Heiress called out.

Bippy dutifully appeared, all cheery and sprightly, no longer dressed in rags. Instead, she now wore a simple green dress Ashley had transfigured earlier on from a pillowcase. It was just a little something to make the house-elf feel more at home, and to thank her for her help. It was quite a surprise that she’d been able to even leave Grindelwald Manor. None had actually noticed it at the time, too busy with fussing over Henrik, but Bippy should have been left behind. It was only a theory but Ashley figured that Henrik’s magic, momentarily mixed with hers, undid whatever Dumbledore’s spell was. It was just sheer luck on their part because despite her promise, Ashley hadn’t had a single idea on how to help the house-elf. Now, she didn’t have to.

“Yes, Mistress Bambi?”

“I need you to watch over Henrik for me, to make sure he’s okay. If he wakes early, tell me immediately.”

Bippy nodded and skipped over to the chair beside Henrik’s bed to take her seat. Satisfied, Ashley walked out, shutting the door behind her. She headed to her own room and kneeled at the foot of her bed, frowning worriedly at the lazily coiled, normal-sized snake resting on top of the covers. Moko had been feeling a bit under the weather lately, which is why he’d stayed at home whilst the others went to Grindelwald Manor. He claimed that he didn’t know what was wrong with himself and that just made Ashley’s anxiety skyrocket. She didn’t want to lose him.

“ _Do you feel any better?_ ” She asked softly, running a finger over his scales.

“ _A little… Naps always make me feel better._ ” He hissed.

“ _Are you sure you don’t wanna see a vet?_ ” Ashley sighed.

“ _Yes, I’m sure. You worry too much, little one._ ” Moko lightly teased.

He raised his head and nuzzled her cheek affectionately, wanting to comfort her. Unfortunately, her mind was elsewhere. All she could think about was curing Moko. Tom could probably help. After all, he had a serpentine companion of his own. There was a chance that he knew what was ailing Moko. Ashley was willing to make a bet on that. However, the sun would set in a few minutes and she doubted Tom would appreciate such a late, not to mention unexpected, visit.

_Tomorrow then, I’ll visit tomorrow, after Henrik wakes up._

The next day, Ashley sat at the dining table, having breakfast and chatting with her two soul-bonded. Neither of the men had gotten any word from the Order, meaning Dumbledore hadn’t returned to the manor yet. He didn’t know about Henrik yet, which was good. It gave Ashley more time to make plans. She didn’t really have any since saving Henrik was more of spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. She’d thought about it for a long time but she didn’t really give much thought for the consequences. But before she could, Bippy suddenly appeared.

“Mistress Bambi, the boy is awake!” The house-elf trumpeted.

The three Marauders hurriedly rose from their chairs and rushed upstairs. They arrived just as Henrik was sitting up, eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed in confusion. Upon noticing the strangers in an unknown room he had no idea how he’d gotten in, he immediately searched for his wand and found it on top of the nightstand. He summoned it to his hand and aimed it at the girl in the middle. As young as she seemed, those Killing Curse green eyes of hers held power. If it came to a fight, she would be the one to look out for. Three to one, Henrik was definitely outnumbered and maybe still out of it, but he could take the lot of them.

“Stay back!” He threatened, refusing to show any signs of fear.

“Calm down! Please, lower your wand, we’re not your enemies!” Ashley said, raising her hands in front of her as if placating a wild animal.

“Who are you, where am I?! What did you do to me?!” Henrik snarled.

“Nothing, we did nothing! Just…calm down. I’ll explain everything.” Ashley swore.

She could tell that Henrik didn’t believe her. She couldn’t really blame him. She was pretty sure that his last memory was of Dumbledore cursing him, and having Sirius and Remus’ wands pointed at him probably didn’t ease his internal panic. Shutting her eyes for a short moment, the Potter Heiress turned to her soul-bonded and requested that they leave. Obviously, the two men were against the idea but no matter how much they wanted to protest, they knew that they had no chance of changing their Bambi’s mind. She was stubborn, just like James had been. So, with heavy sighs, Sirius and Remus cleared off.

“My name’s Ashley Potter,” Ashley began,” and you’re in my home, the home of Lord Black.”

“Orion?”

“Uh, no. He passed a long time ago. The current Lord Black is his son, Sirius.”

“Oh… I’m sorry, but have we met before?”

“No, definitely not. Why?”

“You…feel familiar.”

“W-what?”

“My magic recognizes you somehow. How is that?”

“Well, see… Let me start from the beginning.”

“Sounds like a long story. You can sit down if you want.”

Henrik scooted over and patted the space beside him with a kind smile. Ashley couldn’t help but think that his Hufflepuff was showing. She gratefully accepted his invitation and plopped down on the bed. She narrated Tom’s tale to the best of her ability, right from the moment Dumbledore stole Henrik away from him. She included her side of the story to avoid any misunderstandings regarding how and why she knew so much.

“He really went through with it…” Henrik muttered.

“Your absence hit him hard.” Ashley answered softly.

“I guess that answers my question from earlier. I can feel his soul shard in your scar.” Henrik said.

He leaned back against the headboard with a faraway look in his eyes. Ashley didn’t dare disturb the silence. Henrik needed to think about things, let everything sink in, so she let him. She chewed on her bottom lip as she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. Soon enough, Henrik’s stomach rumbled. _Of course_ he was hungry, he hadn’t eaten in _decades_. Ashley suggested that he follow her to the dining room so that they both could eat. He also needed to take the potion Narcissa had prescribed.

The meal was only a tad bit awkward. Sirius and Remus were still cautious around Henrik but they managed to act civil. The time came when they had to go out and buy Christmas presents, _without_ Ashley because she was planning to go shopping with her friends in a couple of days. Hesitant to leave her and Henrik alone again, Sirius and Remus pulled her aside to talk. She appreciated their concern but really, she could handle herself. She easily convinced them of this fact and returned to Henrik before they could say anything else.

“How do you feel?” Ashley asked after Henrik drank the potion.

“All things considered… Pretty great, I’ll say. The potion helped a lot. I still feel a bit stiff but at the very least, I no longer embody my last name.” Henrik joked, shrugging.

Ashley smiled and left him to his own devices. He probably needed space and besides, she had somewhere to be. She retreated to her room where she found her Moko slowly slithering about on the floor. If he had felt better, he would have been crawling on the ceiling like he typically did. Ashley had the right to worry about him then. She took him up into her arms, carefully wrapping his body around hers to properly support his weight.

“ _Are we going somewhere?_ ” He asked, seemingly drowsy.

“ _We’re gonna go see Tom and Nagini._ ” Ashley whispered.

“ _Okay…_ ” Moko yawned.

He rested his head on Ashley’s shoulder and shut his eyes for a short nap. The Potter Heiress gently rubbed his scales and headed for the family room fireplace, passing Henrik along the way. He was seated on the couch with a cup of tea, spaced out until he caught sight of Ashley.

“Where are you going?”

“To Malfoy Manor.”

“Malfoy Manor… Is Abraxas still around?”

“No, but I’m sure his portrait’s there… Tom’s there too. Do you wanna come with?”

“…No, not right now. I don’t think I’m ready to face him just yet.”

“That’s fine. I understand. Just rest for now.”

Ashley sent Henrik a sympathetic smile before turning to get a pinch of Floo powder. She threw it into the fire with a shout of her destination and watched the fire turn green. She stepped through it and appeared on the other side, right into the Malfoy’s family room where a bunch of Death Eaters were lounging about. All was quiet as a staring contest went down between them and the Potter Heiress. The latter was tensed up, half-expecting spells to start flying any second. Luckily, Barty came to her rescue.

“If you’re looking for the Dark Lord, he’s in his study.” He informed, “It’s right next to his suite.”

Ashley nodded in gratitude despite his words being little to no help to her. She didn’t want to admit that to him, of course, because she appreciated the fact that he tried. It was just that he probably didn’t know that she’d never gotten the chance to roam around the manor before so she didn’t know _where_ Tom’s suite was either. Going down the hallway Barty had gestured towards earlier on, she decided to use her sensitivity to find Tom. It was one hell of a risk on her part. She hadn’t been put in a situation yet where she had to spread her magic across every room of such a large place in search for a specific magical signature but it was worth a try.

There ended up to be a _lot_ of magical signatures, much more than she’d anticipated. The ones with Barty apparently weren’t the only Death Eaters in the building. She sensed them in different rooms, along with the Malfoys’ house-elves. Unfamiliar signatures mixed with the manor’s own magic, it was enough to mess with her senses. Luckily, she was able to recognize Tom amongst it all, seeing as his signature held a small similarity to her own. The warming of her scar helped as well. She found the Dark Lord right where Barty said he’d be, standing in the middle of his study. However, something seemed wrong with him. He looked confused and he had a hand splayed over his chest.

“Tom, are you okay?” Ashley asked out of pure concern, gently lowering Moko to the ground.

“…Something’s happened to Henrik.” Tom muttered, frowning.

“How do you mean?”

“Our bond, it’s… Never mind. What are you doing here?”

“It’s Moko. He’s sick, I think. I figured you’d be able to help.”

“I’m no Magizoologist but I’ll see what I can do. Where is he?”

“Over there with-oh my Godric!”

“Well then. I guess we figured out what’s wrong with him.”

Ashley was wide-eyed and red whilst Tom was exasperated and embarrassed. Both reactions were caused by the sight they witnessed in one corner of the room. Apparently, all Moko needed in order to feel better was the presence of a fellow serpent because he and Nagini were _right there_ , _mating_. The…occurrence was something neither of the Hogwarts Heirs had ever wanted to see at any point of their lives. They were happy and proud that their familiars found a mate in each other but doing the deed in public was just so unnecessary and, at the very least, inappropriate. But, well, they were literal animals so they couldn’t really be blamed for that. Tom later explained that Moko’s unknown weakness was indeed caused by not having his mate with him during the current mating season.

Ashley exited the room minutes later, _without_ Moko. She’d thought it best to leave him in Tom’s care for the next few days, just until mating season was over. Moko had protested a bit, not wanting her to be unprotected, but she assured him that her soul-bonded would ensure her safety until he was back. He’d still been reluctant but he let her go, which is how she was heading back to the Floo all by herself. However, she certainly didn’t expect to bump into _Henrik_ on the way.

“Henrik, what are you doing here? I thought you weren’t ready.” She tilted her head, blinking up at him.

“I changed my mind… Where is he?” Henrik bit his lip, ruffling his hair.

“He’s in his study.” Ashley grinned, “Do you know where that is?”

Henrik nodded and offered her a crooked smile, obviously nervous about the upcoming reunion with his soul-bonded. The Potter Heiress reached up to pat his shoulder comfortingly and let him pass her, watching him go until he turned the corner. She internally wished him good luck and continued on towards the family room. She stood in front of the fireplace but just as she was about to activate the Floo, a teasing voice rang out.

“Leaving so soon?”

Ashley whirled around and there was Barty, still seated on the couch but this time around, Rabastan was his only companion. Barty, she was undeniably fine with, but the younger of the Lestrange brothers… Well, he was a different case. The last and first time Ashley had seen him was the breakout. They hadn’t had time to bond or anything like that but on the bright side, he looked better now, healthier than he did in Azkaban. A quick recovery, most likely thanks to Snape and Narcissa.

“Unless you give me a good reason to stay, yeah.” Ashley shrugged.

“Why don’t you sit with us for a while? You wouldn’t mind, would you, Basty?” Barty cackled, nudging his best friend.

“I really don’t think-” Ashley attempted to protest.

“No, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Rabastan swiftly interjected, “After the stunt she pulled in Azkaban, I’d love to know more about our Lord’s equal.”

He leaned back against the couch, crossing his arms as he silently surveyed Ashley with a peculiar look in his eyes. Barty smirked and scooted over, leaving a small space between him and Rabastan. Seeing their expectant gazes aimed at her, Ashley slowly walked over and plopped down between them. She was surprisingly comfortable in their company. In her opinion, they really weren’t all that bad. A little psychotic, yes, and definitely sadistic, but not _bad_. Maybe that was because the two reminded Ashley of her soul-bonded, just a little bit. Barty loved to tease and joke around. He was cheeky, untamed, and sometimes wild, like Sirius. On the other hand, Rabastan was a bit more reserved. An avid reader, he was a knowledgeable gent but he adored causing mayhem just as much as the next person, like Remus. It’s really no wonder how Ashley got along so well with them.

****Meanwhile…** **

Henrik stiffly stood outside the study, fists clenched at his sides in worry and anticipation. After _decades_ of separation, decades he hadn’t been conscious enough to feel yet his soul had still suffered through, his beloved was right on the other side of the door. Just one move and they’d be together again… But, why was he hesitating? Maybe the part of him that was holding back was afraid that his Tom had changed, so much that he wasn’t the Tom he’d grown up with. Henrik’s mind was in turmoil but everything else within him _yearned_ to be with his mate again. He could barely keep his magic in check. It wanted nothing more than to reach out, to feel the bond and connect with Tom’s addictive magic once more. Tedious moments went by until finally, Henrik had enough. Tom had waited long enough and so, Henrik opened the door.

Tom had his back against the door so he understandably didn’t see his guest come in. Still, Henrik was shocked that Tom hadn’t sensed him. Tom wasn’t one to be so inattentive. He had to be really distracted, which he was. All his attention was on the photo he held in his hands, one of Henrik and him together on their first ever Hogsmeade trip. Abraxas had taken it for them after _much_ convincing on Henrik’s part (and threatening on Tom’s).

“I miss you, my heart…” Tom sighed, “Won’t you come back to me?”

“I’m already here.” Henrik piped up.

Tom visibly froze, his breath catching in his throat as he heard the voice he thought he’d only ever hear in dreams and memories. The photo fell from his hands as he turned around, disbelief and hope rising altogether. He took small steps forward, completely terrified that the sight before him would disappear all of a sudden, that he was experiencing a painful illusion. He wasn’t. He soon realized this when his trembling hands reached up to tenderly cup Henrik’s face.

“Henrik...” Tom breathed out, eyes wide and frantic.

“My love.” Henrik happily responded, voice just above a whisper.

For the first time in years, Tom let his tears fall.


	17. Together

Panting, Tom collapsed on top of Henrik. Both were tired from hours upon hours of passionate lovemaking but that didn’t stop Tom from wanting to go another round due to the sight his mate provided. Henrik had always been gorgeous in his eyes, more so in the moments after sex. The younger male was red all over, covered in dark hickeys as he blushed with every part of him. His hair was a definite mess while his crystal-like eyes were half-lidded, gaze hazily aimed at the ceiling. His chest heaved with slight exhaustion and yet a small, sated smile was painted on his lips. In short, Henrik looked absolutely _delectable_.

Still, Tom reeled himself in despite his instincts telling him otherwise. The temptation was stronger but he was stronger, of course. He retrieved his wand from the nightstand and spelled everything clean, including the floor which had been littered with his and his mate’s robes. He then settled back underneath the covers, pulling Henrik close to him in a tight embrace. Sighing contentedly, Henrik nuzzled into the crook of Tom’s neck and drifted off to sleep. Tom soon followed after placing a kiss upon Henrik’s forehead.

The morning after, Tom slowly woke upon noticing the lack of warmth surrounding him. His eyes snapped open, the empty space beside him immediately sending him into a frenzy. Fear broiled in his gut as he spelled his clothes back on him, his magic desperately reaching out for his mate. Fortunately, the bond was still strong, meaning Henrik was alright and apparently, he was in the kitchen.

Tom headed out the room as soon as he was decent enough, determined to find out what had distracted his mate so early in the damn morning. His answer came in the form of Henrik dancing around with the Malfoy house-elves while wearing a blue apron and using a spatula as a microphone. Tom spent a few minutes watching on in amusement before finally approaching Henrik, catching the dark-haired boy off guard by pulling him in by his waist. The house-elves squeaked at seeing the Dark Lord and apparated away, leaving the couple alone.

“Tom, good morning!” Henrik chirped.

Tom only hummed in response. He loosely wrapped his arms around Henrik and rested his chin on the younger man’s shoulder. Worriedly gnawing on his lower lip, Henrik chose to attend his cooking before anything else, lest the all the food burned. It took him a while but he finished eventually. He wandlessly set the table and urged Tom to sit down, plopping down on his lap right after. Henrik ran a hand through Tom’s hair, smiling when the man leaned into his touch.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Henrik gently pressed.

“You were gone when I woke up. I thought…” Tom trailed off.

Pursing his lips, Henrik reached up and smoothened out the crease that had formed between Tom’s eyebrows as he frowned. Henrik didn’t ask for further explanation. He didn’t need it, he already _knew_. Tom had admitted that he dreaded waking up one day to the reality that his reunion with Henrik was nothing but a dream. Henrik’s disappearance had scarred him badly. If it happened again… Well, reverting back into the madman that he’d been was probably Tom’s best-case scenario.

“I’m real, and I’m right here. I’m never leaving you again.” Henrik vehemently assured.

“Swear it.” Tom demanded.

“I, Henrik Elias Stone, swear upon my magic that I will _never_ leave Tom Marvolo Riddle to suffer alone ever again unless forced to do otherwise.”

Henrik’s chest glowed a bright blue, a manifestation of the way his magic reacted to his words. The glow dimmed into nothing as fast as it appeared, the vow now successfully in place. Tom shut his eyes and leaned his forehead against Henrik’s as the Hufflepuff raised a hand to stroke his cheek. They sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes or so, simply basking in each other’s presence.

“…That sounded like a wedding vow.” Tom muttered under his breath, chuckling.

“You haven’t even proposed yet.” Henrik giggled, half-heartedly shoving against Tom’s chest.

“I will eventually.” Tom confidently guaranteed, “I’ve been planning since our third year.”

“I can’t wait. Anyway, I wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed but I guess that’s no longer an option.” Henrik pouted.

“Just having breakfast together is fine. I cherish every moment I get to spend with you.” Tom softly admitted.

“Aw… That’s so sweet of you, my brooding Dark Lord.” Henrik cooed.

Tom scowled as Henrik pinched his cheek in a mocking gesture. Tom batted his soul-bonded’s hand away and proceeded to squeeze his sides, knowing full well that the younger male was _extremely_ ticklish. Henrik let out a high-pitched shriek, squirming and flailing about in an effort to get away. He nearly fell off Tom’s lap but the Slytherin kept a tight hold on him, refusing to let go no matter how many elbow jabs his gut received. This is the sight the Dark Lord’s Death Eaters happened upon when they came to investigate the source of the ruckus they had been hearing.

Tom’s inner circle, missing only Snape and Fenrir, gawked in barely concealed shock and amusement. They’d never seen the Dark Lord so… _open_ before, nevertheless act so carefree in the presence of anyone but his familiar and more recently, the Potter Heiress. Just who was this boy who could make one of the most feared wizards in the entirety of the Wizarding World open up? Well, whoever he was, he was obviously very special to the Dark Lord, which meant all Death Eaters present would be treating him with utmost respect. However, that didn’t mean that they were simply going to stand there and keep on staring at the disgustingly sweet view they’d been unwillingly served with. Breakfast was right there and they were hungry.

Tom and Henrik immediately froze upon hearing the sound of several throats clearing. Noticing their unexpected company, Henrik scrambled to get to his feet but Tom stubbornly held him in place. The Slytherin levelled his loyal followers with a bored, nearly blank stare. He raised an eyebrow at them, silently daring them to say a word. None took the risk, each agreeing that it was much too early to be _Crucio_ ’d, so they piled in silently and filled the empty seats. Eager to taste his mate’s cooking, Tom finally let Henrik go only to let him sit down beside him and pull his seat as close as physically possible. The Dark Lord was possessive, so what? Nobody would be surprised.

Only minutes into the meal, Henrik was receiving praises left and right. Tom couldn’t help but feel proud because that was _his_ mate, and he would be the first to admit that whatever his mate cooked would always turn out heavenly. He knew this for a fact, having been there during the years Henrik had spent practicing in the orphanage. See, whenever one or both of them were punished with no supper for the night, they would sneak off to the kitchen to feed themselves. Tom never really acquired the talent for cooking but Henrik did. Henrik had even more time to flourish during their time at Hogwarts where they had planned their dates in the kitchens. Henrik had been close with the house-elves so they had gotten the privacy they wanted more often than not.

“Why didn’t you introduce me to them?” Henrik asked out of the blue.

He and Tom were now relaxing underneath the covers, having retreated back to their room after breakfast. Tom was laying on his back, topless with one hand behind his head and the other casually playing with Henrik’s hair. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Hufflepuff was positioned sideways, head resting on top of Tom’s chest with his legs hanging off the side of the bed. Nagini was the only other person (snake) in the room, curled at the foot of the bed to revel in the warmth the couple provided for her.

“I’m sure they were really confused.” Henrik continued.

“I have my reasons.”

“Are any of them good?”

“No, not really.”

“When _will_ you introduce me to your Death Eaters?”

“Not yet. I want you all to myself right now.”

“I’m already yours.”

“I know.”

“Possessive bastard.”

If it were anyone else who had uttered those two words, Tom would have happily hexed them to hell and back and _then_ killed them for such a blatant show of disrespect. But the words came from Henrik, one of the few people exempted from Tom’s many rules, and despite the insult intended, the words were laced with no venom, just fondness. So obviously, Tom didn’t take it to heart. Instead, he sent Henrik a grin before dragging him upwards to smash their lips together.

“Mm, that’s the last kiss you’ll be getting from me in a while.” Henrik announced, breaking the kiss.

“ _What_?!” Tom exclaimed, looking so deeply affronted.

“You heard me.” Henrik cheekily replied, “You and I need to talk.”

He abruptly pulled away from Tom’s embrace, needing to move quick to stay far away from Tom’s reach. Henrik sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed, gesturing for his mate to sit up as well. Groaning, Tom propped himself against the headboard and glared petulantly like a small child would. Henrik, unfortunately, was immune to the faux anger. He rolled his eyes and dodged every single one of Tom’s attempt to seduce him, determined to stay true to his word.

“My heart, please, can’t we save this conversation for some other time? I had plans for us today…”

“I know what you’re doing and I refuse to let you distract me. You’ve been avoiding this conversation for days now.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining last night, or any other night. In fact, I recall you begging for more of my-”

“T-Tom!”

“I adore seeing you blush.”

“You fucking sap, don’t say that!”

“Why not?”

Red-faced, Henrik spluttered out a response but failed to form actual words. Tom smirked in spite of the sharp slap his leg received, loving the effect he had on his soul-bonded. Henrik was just so easily flustered. It was quite amusing. At least, to Tom it was. Henrik was less than amused, but what could he do? It was how Tom was, and Henrik loved him like that. Still, Henrik had had enough of distractions. He wanted answers and he was going to get them.

“Why’d you do it?” He asked.

Tom made no move to reply.

“After everything we talked about, why did you still split your soul?” Henrik pressed, “And don’t you dare give me some stupid excuse of how much you feared death because we both know that’s not the truth.”

“…You.” Tom murmured.

“Me?” Henrik softly repeated.

“I loved you. I wanted to spend eternity with you. That’s what made me consider the idea of Horcruxes in the first place. I never wanted to lose you and if we had one Horcrux each, not even death could keep us apart. But I lost you anyway, didn’t I?” Tom chuckled pitifully.

“You disappeared so suddenly with no explanation why. I was devastated, obviously. I thought you had died but our bond said otherwise. I knew you were still alive. I wanted to find you but I could barely feel you. Still, I hoped you would return someday. If… _When_ that day came, I wanted to be alive for it. I did what I had to do to ensure my survival. If I hadn’t made a single Horcrux, I would have died the night the Potters did, and I wouldn’t be here with you.” Tom reasoned.

“I hadn’t intended to lose my mind in the process of waiting for you but well… I fell, and you weren’t there to catch me.” Tom sighed.

Henrik sat in shocked silence, mind whirling with the information he’d just been given. His bottom lip began trembling as tears formed in his eyes. He lurched forward, right into Tom’s personal bubble, and threw his arms around the Slytherin’s neck. Tom tensed at the suddenness of the action but nevertheless, he readily caught and comforted his crying mate.

“I… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Henrik frantically apologized, “I should’ve known Dumbledore had something planned. I shouldn’t have gone to his office that day, o-or maybe if I was faster, I could have prevented the curse! I-”

“Don’t do that. Don’t blame yourself. Nothing’s your fault. It’s all Dumbledore’s, and now that you’re back, we’ll make him pay. _Together_.” Tom fiercely claimed, slipping into Parseltongue by the end of it.

Luckily, Henrik had been with him long enough to understand key words and phrases spoken in Parseltongue. Tom had a bit of a habit of switching between languages when they were alone so Henrik had long decided to learn. Henrik could remember the first time he’d heard Tom hiss. It was a vivid memory for him, just like every other memory associated with his soul-bonded. It had just been a month after Henrik arrived at the orphanage. He and Tom were already as close as could be. They had shared a room together (because no one had wanted to risk Tom killing one of the kids in their sleep) and on that one night, a snake had somehow snuck its way under Henrik’s bed. It was a fairly young one, only a few weeks old, seeking shelter away from the thundering storm outside. Tom, spurred on by Henrik’s bleeding heart, agreed to care for the hatchling until it was old enough to live on its own. That decision didn’t end well, all because of a little snitch who had sold them out to the matron. Henrik had taken the brunt of the punishment, much to Tom’s displeasure. But if anyone asked, Tom had _nothing_ to do with the fact that both matron and the snitch suffered severe food poisoning for the next couple of weeks.

Henrik stopped himself from walking further down memory lane and tuned back into reality. He realized that he was still latched onto Tom who looked like he had no plans of letting go any time soon. Henrik then decided that a few more minutes of cuddling wouldn’t hurt. After that, he would go along with whatever Tom had planned for the rest of the morning. Only for the morning though, because they would be quite busy when noon came. After all, it was the holidays. Henrik had a manor to decorate.

****Hours later…** **

****Marauder Mansion, Borough of Islington, London** **

Ashley took a large step back, hands on her hips as she proudly observed her work. The seven foot Christmas tree was a sight to behold with its bright ornaments that the Potter Heiress had manually placed herself. She’d assigned herself the job of setting it up while Sirius and Remus made the rest of the house look festive. Speaking of the two elder Marauders, they were currently right across the room, seemingly arguing about something. They weren’t actually angry with each other. Ashley could see the smiles threatening to split their lips. Amused, she shook her head and plucked her mug of hot cocoa from where it was floating beside her head. She took a small sip and continued watching the quarreling couple. She was so distracted that she didn’t notice the Floo activate behind her. She jumped about three feet in the air when a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.

“Henrik!” Ashley gasped, nearly dropping her mug in surprise.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Henrik sheepishly apologized.

“It’s fine, no harm done.” Ashley assured.

Her cocoa, thanks to the anti-spill charm she’d cast earlier, hadn’t spilled everywhere so she wasn’t lying. She ushered Henrik over to the couch, offering him a cookie from the plate on the coffee table. She would have called Sirius and Remus over but they were gone, probably making out in some other part of the house. The two were embarrassingly insatiable lately. Maybe because of the full moon? From Ashley’s personal experience, Remus tended to get a bit handsy during the days before his monthly transformation. Sirius would agree. Ashley figured she was better off not knowing where the couple had disappeared off to, not if she wanted to keep their bond a secret until her seventeenth birthday.

“I didn’t think Tom would have let you go so soon.” She teased.

“Believe me, he’s counting down the seconds until he can fetch me himself. I told him I’d only be gone fifteen minutes.” Henrik sighed in fond exasperation.

“Figures.” Ashley giggled, “So, what brought you back?”

“I haven’t thanked you for saving me.” Henrik explained.

“It was no big deal.” Ashley attempted to wave off.

“That’s a lie and you know it.” Henrik argued, “You’ve told me all the troubles you had to face to find me and I can’t be more grateful.”

“A soul-bonded couple should never be separated. I don’t know what I’d do if what happened to you happened to either of my mates.” Ashley smiled sympathetically, looking down at her lap.

“You’re soul-bonded? To who?” Henrik leaned in, curious.

“Guess.” Ashley grinned.

Henrik pouted sullenly. He didn’t think he knew the raven-haired girl well enough to figure out who her soul-bonded was. But then, Sirius and Remus came back in. They were surprised to see Henrik but they were welcoming. The thing was, Henrik couldn’t help but notice the immediate shift in Ashley’s body language. He wasn’t sure if she noticed but her eyes sparkled with joy when they caught sight of the two men and her cheeks glowed red when they placed identical kisses on the top of her head. Everything was crystal clear for Henrik right then and there.

“Them? Really?” He asked quietly once Sirius and Remus were out of the room again.

He had to be careful. One of Ashley’s soul-bonded was a werewolf with very good hearing who, alongside Sirius, wasn’t aware of their bonded status. Henrik didn’t want to give Ashley’s secret away without her permission. That would be very ungrateful of him, seeing as she had been the one to dispel Dumbledore’s curse.

“That’ll be problematic.” Henrik mused, “Convincing them, I mean. Especially since you’ve mentioned that they were your father’s best mates.”

“It’ll be worth it.” Ashley said, gaze determined.

“Yeah, it will be.” Henrik agreed with a smile.

He and Ashley chatted for a while more, each of them sharing bits and pieces of their respective pasts. He narrated a number of his and Tom’s misadventures while she described what had been the life of Ashley Theroux. Their talk lasted longer than expected, long enough for the Floo to activate once more. This time, an irritated guest came through.

“It’s been more than fifteen minutes.” Tom deadpanned.

Henrik rolled his eyes while Ashley laughed out loud. The latter ignored the glare Tom sent her way and continued on snickering, pausing only for a second to take a sip of her drink. Henrik stood up and thanked her again before accepting his mate’s offered hand. However, before he let himself be consumed by the green flames of the fireplace, he faced Ashley one last time. He dug through his robe’s inner pocket, pulling out what seemed like a black shrunken box tied with a green ribbon.

“What’s this?” Ashley questioned when handed the box.

“Just a small gift from us. Tom said you’d need it.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t open it until tomorrow.”

With a wave and a wink, Henrik followed Tom back to Malfoy Manor. Ashley smiled to herself and turned to place the box underneath the Christmas tree. Hearing Remus call her name, she wandered off to the kitchen to enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner. When the sun rose the next morning, so did Ashley. She got out of bed, making sure that she didn’t disturb her slumbering familiar, and tiptoed out into the hallway. She made her way to her soul-bonded’s shared room and opened the door as quietly as physically possible, going as far as to cast a silencing spell. She peaked inside, smirking when she spotted the lumps covered by the bed covers. She had planned to scare Sirius and Remus awake but just as she was completely inside the room, arms wrapped around her torso. Said limbs picked her up and deposited her atop the lumps she’d mistaken as her soul-bonded. As it turned out, they were just pillows and her soul-bonded were already wide awake and currently hovering over her flustered form.

“You should know better than trying to sneak up on us, Bambi.” Sirius chastised with smirk.

“I’ll be able to do it one day.” Ashley grumbled.

Sirius barked out a laugh, Remus hummed with a badly concealed smile. Ashley took mock offense to both of those actions. Huffing, she attempted to get off the bed but the two men collapsed on either side of her and dragged her down with them. They caged her between their _bare_ chests, a fact she had to vehemently ignore lest her mind travel down _that_ road again. Alas, she felt that her face had already turned a bright red. Moko would be laughing at her if he was there. Thank Merlin he wasn’t.

“What?” Ashley frowned, noticing how her soul-bonded had gone quiet and were now staring at her.

“Nothing.” Remus shrugged, sharing a certain look with Sirius.

“We just really love you.” The werewolf continued.

“I know that.” Ashley giggled.

“Aren’t you gonna say it back?” Sirius laid a hand over his heart, acting offended.

“I love you too.” Ashley conceded.

Sirius nodded, smug and satisfied. Remus snickered and leaned forward, planting a kiss on Ashley’s cheek. Sirius echoed the action but with an extra kiss on her temple.

“Happy Christmas, darling.” He and Remus murmured simultaneously.

_Happy Christmas, indeed,_ Ashley thought, content with just staying in bed with her soul-bonded all day.


	18. Make Him Pay

**Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England**

The Dark Lord’s inner circle had never been so uncomfortable in their whole entire lives. They had spent numerous years in Azkaban, trapped in cold, dark cells and painfully being fed to the Dementors, but not even that could have prepared them for the scene in front of them. They were ready to run or hide, or both. They swore that spells were about to start flying any moment now. Why? Because Lord Voldemort and the Girl-Who-Lived were currently arguing in Parseltongue, eyes glowing and wands at the ready. The tension was heavy in the air around them, their magic sparking quite menacingly. They looked just about ready to hurl the Killing Curse at each other.

It all started when Tom ordered a meeting with all of his Death Eaters to establish Henrik as his soul-bonded partner. The Dark Lord’s consort, as Barty so called him. The introduction went incredibly well but then, Ashley arrived just as Tom dismissed his lower-ranked followers to scheme with his inner circle. Ashley didn’t leave because she’d already known about the ‘raid’ they had planned. She and Tom had talked about it once before but to her surprise, he apparently had changed his mind about her coming with. This, of course, didn’t fail to aggravate her. She refused to back down, and neither did Tom. Now, there they were, the people (and animals) around them not knowing what to do to ease the slowly escalating fight. The Death Eaters looked towards Henrik, knowing that he was in charge for the time being.

“You guys can go. This’ll take a while.” He sighed exasperatedly.

He’d guess that the Death Eaters had never moved so fast before. The room was cleared out within a few seconds, leaving only him, the bickering duo, and their respective familars. Speaking of those familiars, they seemed just as done as he was. They were coiled together near his feet, quietly watching the scene before them. Well, at least Nagini was. She was just disappointedly shaking her head at them. Moko, on the other hand, was hissing _very_ loudly. Henrik assumed that he was cheering Ashley on and most likely cursing Tom to hell and back. The male serpent was so protective over Ashley. He was ready to fight anyone who upset her even a little bit.

Henrik didn’t know what Tom said but it must have been bad because all of a sudden, silence filled the place. Ashley took a step back, face pinched into a hurt expression. The fighting stance she had on earlier fell away as her shoulders sagged and her fists loosened. Henrik saw a flicker of guilt pass through Tom’s eyes before he brought back his steely gaze and pursed his lips. Glaring, Ashley straightened up, the fire within her returning in full force.

“Are you fucking _serious_ right now?! How dare you?!” She growled, scarily similar to her soul-bonded in that moment.

“Ashley-” Tom was immediately cut off.

“This _kid_ ,” Ashley spat, “has risked her life so many times for you, you ungrateful git! You’ve no right to tell me that all of this is just some _game_ to me!”

“That’s not what I-”

“I’m not _deaf_. I heard what you said and I know what you meant… Moko, let’s go.”

She turned and stalked out of the room, ears hypothetically smoking. Moko dutifully slithered after her, but not before baring his fangs at Tom. Henrik watched from the sidelines as the Slytherin grumbled to himself, stomping over to his chair (throne, really) and collapsing down on top of it. Henrik heaved out a sigh and approached his forlorn lover, sitting on the arm of the chair and leaning against Tom. Henrik rejected the opportunity to start the conversation, letting Tom gather his thoughts and defend his side first.

“It’s too dangerous for her, Henrik.” Tom eventually spoke, “The Order will be there; I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“You hurt her just now.” Henrik softly reminded.

“You don’t think I know that?” Tom snapped.

Henrik leveled him with a pointed look, one that successfully made the Slytherin cringe and apologize. Tom never did like when his soul-bonded was cross with him, especially when he knew that he, himself, was being irrationally ill-natured.

“I get it, my love, I do. You feel protective of her, and so do I.” Henrik stated, ignoring Tom’s weak protests.

“But like you said, we’re at war. Danger’s around every corner and she’s faced it more than a few times. I think she’s used to it by now. She’s survived this far, hasn’t she?”

Tom hummed noncommittally and tugged Henrik into his lap. The Hufflepuff, although shaking his head, went along willingly and wrapped his arms around Tom’s neck. He let Tom nuzzle his neck and latch onto his waist, allowing the elder man to get more comfortable by running a hand through his hair.

“Think of it this way, my love.” Henrik extended, “The two of us will be there to watch over her. Your Death Eaters too, especially Barty and Rabastan. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, those two care for her as much as we do. And you know who else will be there?”

“Who?” Came Tom’s muffled reply.

“Her soul-bonded.” Henrik answered.

He was right, of course. Even if Tom didn’t want to admit it out loud. Ashley’s safety was fully secured as long as Sirius and Remus were around. Both men would rather die than let anything happen to her. They would definitely be willing to betray the Order out in the open if it meant protecting their Bambi.

“…When have I ever said ‘no’ to you?” Tom groaned.

“Never, as far as I know.” Henrik chirped.

“Think it’s too late to start now?”

“Absolutely. I’ll go get her.”

Henrik pressed a short kiss to Tom’s temple and left his side, heading out to go search for Ashley. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Gryffindor was in the gardens with her familiar, hanging around with the Malfoys’ peacocks. She had gone outside to distress a bit and her animal companions provided a good distraction for her. She originally didn’t want to be near anyone at the moment but when Barty and Rabastan suddenly sat with her, she found that she didn’t quite mind their presence.

“What happened?”

“Your Dark Lord’s an asshole.”

“Care to share? None of us understood a single thing you fought about."

Like a dam cracking and breaking, Ashley began to spill the details of her little fight with Tom. She spelled out every current problem she had with the man, nearly tearing up in frustration during her retelling. She had the right to be mad too. It was highly unfair of Tom to make a decision about her without her own input, especially after they’d already agreed on something before. If the Slytherin had planned to be such a dick, why gift her a book of advanced dueling spells?

“I just believe that after helping him so damn much, he still thinks of me as just some _kid_.” She frowned.

“I mean, he’s right. You’re twelve.” Rabastan pointed out.

“I am technically _twenty_ , thank you very much.” Ashley scowled.

“Wait, what?” Barty furrowed his eyebrows.

“It’s a long story, one I’m not in the mood to share. I’ll tell you some other time.” Ashley waved it off.

She settled after that, having finally released all the anger in her body. She shut her eyes and collapsed backwards, granting herself the comfort of the soft grass beneath her. She wondered for a second why Barty and Rabastan were quiet, it wasn’t like they were still listening to her talk. Then, she felt two light touches near her face and on her hand. She opened her eyes and nearly gasped when she noticed the two men leaning over her. Rabastan, ever the respectful gentleman, wasn’t as close as Barty was but both wore uncharacteristically warm smiles. However, those weren’t the oddest things Ashley had noticed. The oddest things were that Rabastan was holding her hand and Barty, he had placed a _flower_ in her hair. It was…sweet.

The sound of a throat clearing had Ashley sitting up in a flash. There was Henrik, staring at the scene in front of him with both of his eyebrows raised. Ashley steadily avoided his gaze, slowly taking her hand back from Rabastan and fiddling with the flower in her hair. She didn’t need a mirror to know that she was blushing. She was embarrassed, because for some reason, Henrik was making her feel like she’d just been caught doing something she shouldn’t have been doing. Moko’s teasing didn’t help the situation either.

“He wants to talk to you.” Henrik informed.

“Is he gonna apologize?” Ashley snarked, still not meeting his eyes.

“He better.” He replied.

That was good enough for Ashley. She gathered Moko into her arms and pushed herself up from the ground, following Henrik back to the meeting hall. She spared her Death Eater friends one last glance and took note of the fact that they were, once again, peering at her with that undetermined emotion swimming within their eyes. They managed to break out of their trance and wave at her before they were out of her sight so she didn’t think much of the happening. Instead, she focused on keeping a lid over her temper since starting yet another fight with Tom would solve nothing. In as quick as a blink, she was already facing the Dark Lord and sitting right next to him.

The tension was so thick at first that Henrik was tempted to conjure a knife and cut through it. Ashley obviously wasn’t going to make the first move lest she start the conversation off with an insult. Tom, on the other hand, seemed like he needed a little nudge towards letting go of that pride of his. Henrik rolled his eyes and cast a weak stinging hex, catching Tom off guard. That seemed to do the trick. The Hogwarts Heirs began talking and soon enough, Henrik decided that it was time to take his leave.

“Am I right to assume that your soul-bonded know about your decision?”

“Of course they do. They tried to stop me too, but they eventually realized what you did. They won’t stand with you but they won’t fight you. Not completely, at least.”

“Is that right? I figured Black would want revenge on his brother’s murderer.”

“Yeah, well-wait… You know who killed Regulus?”

“My Horcruxes had memories, and the locket had been there the night he died. I thought you knew.”

“No, I did not. Who did it?”

“Alastor Moody.”

It made perfect sense. _Of course_ Dumbledore sent someone he trusted wholeheartedly when dealing with matters regarding a Horcrux and who did he trust more (beside himself, that is) than his closest friend? Ashley really should have known, but Moody honestly hadn’t been so bad in the movies. He was also considered a friend to most, if not all, of the Order members. Tonks, especially. She wasn’t on the right side yet but she would be in time. How would she take the news that her mentor wasn’t as great as she thought him to be? The Weasleys? And Remus and… _Sirius_.

“You’re leaving?” Tom startled when Ashley shot up from her seat.

“I… I have to tell Sirius. I’ll mirror you later.” She said, biting her lip.

“That’s won’t end well.” Tom remarked.

“I know,” Ashley grimaced, “but he deserves to know.”

“Good luck then.” Tom nodded.

Ashley rushed out the room with Moko in tow, just as Henrik came back with tea on a platter. The Hufflepuff blinked several times before turning and approaching Tom with a questioning look.

“What was that about?” Henrik asked, handing Tom his cup of tea.

“Nothing. Let’s just hope she can reign Black in before he blows his cover.” Tom shook his head.

At this point, Ashley had reached the family room and had already activated the Floo. She waited for her familiar to latch onto her before stepping through the green flames. She arrived home and immediately sought out Sirius, pinpointing him in the bedroom with Remus. Fortunately, they were dressed and not having sex, just cuddling over the covers. Although, judging from the sated looks they both wore, it seemed that Ashley was just in time as to not witness such a thing.

“Bambi, you’re home early.” Sirius sounded surprised but happy, nonetheless.

“There’s something you need to know.” Ashley blurted out.

“Alright… What is it?” Sirius goaded.

He scooted over and patted the space he made between him and Remus. Ashley hopped on over and got comfortable, subtly holding onto Sirius’ arm in case he went on a rampage. No matter how angry he could get, he would never allow himself to accidentally hurt her in the process of seeking retribution. This is what provided her with assurance as she revealed what Tom had told her. When she was done, Sirius stayed oddly silent. Calmly, he moved away from her with a blank expression. This worried her and Remus greatly. For a second, she thought she’d broke the Animagus but then, he lunged for his wand and got to his feet.

“I’ll fucking kill him!” He roared, stomping towards the door.

“Remus, stop him!” Ashley panicked.

Remus was already way ahead of her. In an instant, he was right behind Sirius with his arms wrapped around him, locking his arms to his side. Sirius struggled to the best of his ability but as a werewolf, Remus was stronger. Thank Merlin for that.

“Let me go!”

“No, Sirius, you need to calm down!”

“That bastard killed Regulus! He killed my brother! I’ll make him pay!”

“You can’t just attack him! Calm down! _Please_ , Sirius!”

Ashley kept on pleading but Sirius didn’t want to hear any of it. She wanted to rely on Remus to pacify his mate but he appeared to be having trouble with controlling himself. The amber eyes gave away Moony’s close proximity to the surface. So, Ashley urged her magic to extend towards both her soul-bonded, remembering Remus’ offhand comment back then about the way her magic seemed to calm theirs. A theory of hers regarding this phenomenon was that her magic was, in a way, dominant to theirs. After all, she was the one with the stronger core and she’d been the one to recognize their bond. She could _hypothetically_ sway their magic in certain ways if she so desired. By theory, she could weaken them or make them stronger using her own magic. An idea to discover for another time.

Sirius sagged in Remus’ hold, the latter simply going with the motion and lowering them both to the floor. Ashley kneeled beside them, voluntarily moving closer when Sirius blindly reached out for her. She regarded him with sad eyes as he buried his face into Remus’ chest, soaking the werewolf’s shirt with his tears.

“You’ll get your revenge, I _promise_. He’ll get what he deserves.” The Potter Heiress vehemently swore.

Later, she found herself lying in bed with her soul-bonded. Nothing inappropriate had transpired. It was all for the sake of bringing Sirius the comfort he desperately needed. It was a few hours past dinner and both of the original Marauders were already fast asleep. Ashley, however, was still wide awake. She carefully wiggled her way from between Sirius and Remus before tiptoeing to the door, quietly slipping into the dark hallway. Leaning against the wall and casting _Lumos_ , she summoned her mirror to her hand contacted Tom at once.

“How did it go?” The Slytherin casually asked, unbothered by the noise Henrik was making in the background.

“It went about as well as you’d expect.” Ashley sighed, “He’s calmed down for now but I’m sure he’s dead set on murder.”

“We can’t make an ex-Auror disappear and expect the Ministry not to look for him.” Tom rebuffed.

“…What if he doesn’t have to disappear?” Ashley slyly suggested.

“Explain.” Tom ordered with narrowed eyes.

And so, Ashley did. This is how a Polyjuiced Barty ended up standing amongst Dumbledore’s ranks, posing as Mad-Eye Moody on the day of the ‘raid’. Right across from where he stood was Ashley, cloaked, glamoured, and masked, flanked by her best friends with Rabastan behind her. The girls’ familiars were with them as well. Moko had been _Reducio_ ’d and was hiding underneath Ashley’s sleeve while Klaus and Serina had been charmed to be hidden in plain sight, enabling them to stand beside their keepers. To keep the Order from feeling the spells and Ashley’s distinctive magical signature, Tom was spreading his magic all over the field they were gathered in. Additionally, this was his method of showing off to Dumbledore.

“Tom.” The old wizard greeted.

“Albus.” Tom addressed with a smirk.

What ensued could only be called a villain’s monologue, never mind Tom’s numerous testimonies of denial. Ashley would have gotten bored if she didn’t feel so tense, unlike Moko who really didn’t feel like listening to the conversation at all. He slithered up her arm and towards her neck, raising his head to level with her ear.

“ _They’re talking too much. Aren’t we supposed to be fighting?_ ” Moko complained.

Ashley kept quiet, fighting the laugh threatening to spill from her lips. The look on Dumbledore’s face when he caught sight of Henrik didn’t quite help her situation. And then, she was called forward and introduced as Lady Vala. She had her own fun taunting the old wizard, talking about Hogwarts and whatnot, heavily implying how she’d been the one responsible for the horrible events during the first half of the school year. That was when the dueling started, Graham Pierce being the first to cast the spell.

Ashley readily went against him, vaguely aware of the glances a select few kept sending her way. The whole thing was exhilarating, it reminded her of Quidditch almost. The act of dueling, of being able to use her magic in such an effective way, it brought about the same feeling of freedom as flying on a broom at breakneck speed would. Unfortunately, the fun ended when Graham’s wife decided to join the party. As powerful as Ashley prided herself to be, she was _not_ prepared to combat two adult wizards at once.

Sensing their Bambi’s struggle, Sirius and Remus very nearly jumped to her rescue but they knew that would do more damage than good. She was holding her own quite well but that didn’t stop them from worrying any less. Luckily, Tom finally got what he came for. With his soul intact and his mate by his side, he was strong enough to best Dumbledore in battle, but he didn’t. Tom enjoyed watching the bastard exhaust himself and pulled back when he’d had enough. The Dark Lord’s ego had been stroked, which meant that the ‘raid’ was over.

At his command, the Death Eaters began retreating, disapparating away one by one. Ashley smirked underneath her mask, having gotten a glimpse of Dumbledore’s vexed, no-longer-twinkling eyes as she had been one of the last to go. She reappeared at Malfoy Manor and listened to Tom’s celebratory speech, staying when he was done while the others left. She still had one last thing to do.

She followed Rabastan to the manor’s dungeons, right where their prisoner, shackled and unconscious, was being kept in a cell. She leaned against the bars as Rabastan entered the cell and viciously spelled the man awake. Moody was quick to struggle but it was futile attempt, especially with his wooden leg and prosthetic eye missing. He had just started spewing insults at the youngest Lestrange when his lone eye caught sight of Ashley who was now easily recognizable.

“Potter?!” He asked disbelievingly.

“Hi.” Ashley smiled, waving lazily.

“I told Albus you were turning dark but he wouldn’t listen.” Moody growled, “He was convinced you were still under his thumb just because your guardians were order members. Traitorous bitch.”

Ashley rolled her eyes, completely unaffected by the insult, but apparently, she couldn’t say the same for the new arrival. A red light swept past her, striking Moody in the chest and making him scream. Ashley whirled around and was met with the sight of one Sirius Black wearing a thunderous expression, the tip of his wand pointed straight at the restrained man. Remus was right behind him, looking only slightly less murderous. He moved to stand behind Ashley, pulling her close to him as Sirius entered the cell. The Animagus paid no mind to Rabastan, choosing to lend all his focus on keeping Moody under the Cruciatus Curse. Eventually, Sirius let up, not wanting to drive the ex-Auror mad just yet.

“Call my goddaughter a bitch again, I fucking dare you.” He snarled.

He stepped back, letting Rabastan take the reins. The younger man tapped his wand against his other hand thoughtfully before casting a spell Ashley couldn’t name. The goal was to get Moody to talk. Tom wanted more information about the Order, anything Moody was willing to disclose, but if he didn’t cooperate… Well, Sirius was there for a reason, wasn’t he?

“You better start talking, or I’m gonna have to give you up to the mutt. You don’t want that, do you?” Rabastan crooned after minutes of torment.

Despite trembling like a leaf, Moody still had the guts to spit in his face. Rabastan scoffed and glared, wiping the spit away with his sleeve. He stood to his full height and kicked Moody to the ground, careful not to get any blood on his boot.

“He’s all yours, Black.” He then declared.

The malicious glee that spread across Sirius’ face, accompanied by a nasty smirk, was a vision to be terrified off. Ashley felt a cold chill run down her spine even though the expression wasn’t at all aimed at her. She assumed that whatever Sirius had planned was not something a twelve-year-old girl should see. Remus evidently agreed, urging her to walk in front of him as he trailed after Rabastan. The last thing she saw was an ominous bright light radiating from Sirius’ wand.

_Make him pay, Siri… He deserves it._


	19. No Mercy

****Hogsmeade Station, Scottish Highlands** **

Ashley was jostled out of her sleep when she heard a loud, indignant shout. She blinked her eyes open and smiled drowsily when she realized that the noise had come from Maia who had just lost a round of Exploding Snap against Heaven. The Ravenclaw was tremendously good at the game and had an unbroken winning streak Maia was hell-bent on stopping. So far, Maia obviously had yet to succeed but that didn’t mean that she was willing to give up anytime soon. But it did seem that she was at least willing to take a break as she slouched in her seat and pouted at a giggling Heaven.

Amused, Ashley shook her head and yawned, sitting up to look through the window she’d been leaning her head against. Apparently, she’d woken up just in time since the view of the station was getting bigger each passing second. She got up and stretched, stifling another yawn as she reached for her satchel. She made sure her things were all accounted for before leaving the compartment with Heaven and Maia trailing after her. The three of them caught up with the other Marauders and got off the train together. While leading the group towards the carriages, Ashley chanced a wave towards Hagrid who noticed and responded despite being busy with rounding up the first years. Eager to be back within the walls of the castle she would eventually inherit, she hopped onto the first carriage she spotted and was soon followed by Thalia, Heaven, Maia, and her favorite twins. She chose to sit between Fred and George, their arms automatically sliding around her shoulders as they greeted her with identical grins.

“Any news?” She asked once the carriage began moving.

“Nothing. Dad said that the Minister’s determined to keep everything under wraps.” Thalia rolled her eyes.

“That’s good. I knew we could count on their incompetence.” Ashley smirked.

“Speaking of the Minister, will _he_ be the one replacing Fudge when the time is right?” Heaven tilted her head curiously.

“Probably, yeah.” Ashley nodded, “I think it’ll be better for everyone if he’s the Minister.”

Murmurs of agreement filled the air. Ashley liked to think that Tom would have been elated to know that he had supporters amongst the young, influential students of Hogwarts, people who weren’t inclined to stand with him because of an oath of allegiance. Smiling to herself, the Potter Heiress kept quiet for the rest of the ride. She simply listened to her friends’ chatter until they reached the castle where she was immediately welcomed by the ancient magic. She let her magic flare up a bit, enthusiastically greeting her second home.

“Do you sense anything different? Are the wards still the same?” Maia whispered conspiratorially.

“Yep, the wards are definitely still the same. Dumbledore couldn’t be bothered to add more.” Ashley confirmed.

She had assumed that the headmaster would, at the very least, increase Hogwarts’ security after all her taunting but perhaps she had expected too much from the old wizard. He was just asking for it, wasn’t he? It was like he _wanted_ Hogwarts to be invaded, which probably wasn’t far off from the truth. He didn’t care for the students. All he cared about was the greater good bullshit he kept spouting. He _needed_ everyone to fear the Death Eaters so that they would turn to him to fix everything, like they did with the Grindelwald. Dumbledore would then use Ashley as a pawn and get her killed in the process (because, duh, Horcrux) while the Wizarding World sung _him_ praises. But no, that wasn’t going to happen. Dumbledore was going to die, not as a hero, but as the bastard he truly was with all of his secrets out in the open.

“Not that they would have worked against you, right? You’re an Heir, so the castle answers to you.” Maia pointed out.

“That’s right. Can’t wait ‘til I’m of age. It’ll be my pleasure to personally kick Dumbledore out.” Ashley snickered.

Her friends laughed along with her, gaining a number of confused stares from the other students that they all blissfully ignored. They headed to the great hall where they separated again for the final time that night, having to join their respective House mates as per first day traditions. Dumbledore recited his speech which none of them listened to since he mentioned nothing of importance. Although, the look on his face at not being able to talk about Voldemort was quite entertaining. No matter how much he wanted to, the topic was off the table for two reasons. One, the entire population of Hogwarts would think him crazy (which, he was) and two, nobody could (nor would they) back him up. The Ministry had refused to believe his claims and had demanded he hold his tongue lest they deemed him unfit of being headmaster which would then lead to him losing the only title he had left. Of course, Ashley had no idea about this but she had close enough assumptions.

As always, the feast was absolutely delightful, though Ashley did still prefer her Moony’s cooking. She enjoyed hanging out and talking with her friends, face to face and not through a small mirror. But soon enough, the time came where they had to retire to their dormitories. Ashley was taking her time with walking, situating herself behind her fellow Gryffindors, when a hand landed on her arm and pulled her aside. She found that the extremity belonged to one Luna Lovegood who was wearing such a grim look on her face that she succeeded in making the Potter Heiress nervous.

“Luna? What is it?”

“Hogwarts will protect you. Call for her and she will answer.”

“Um, okay?”

“Be careful.”

“I’ll try my best.”

Luna held Ashley’s hand in both of hers and squeezed once before turning and walking out the alcove she’d dragged them in. Ashley blinked a few times, torn between feelings of confusion and trepidation. Something bad was going to happen and if Luna’s reaction was anything to go by, Ashley wasn’t getting out of whatever it was unscathed. It seemed like the Potter luck would be getting her seriously hurt this time.

The young Seer’s words kept ringing through Ashley’s mind, even in her sleep. She did manage to push them towards the back of her mind to function properly in classes the following day but the sense of foreboding never quite left. In fact, everything came back in full force sometime after lunch. It was a free period for the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw second years so Ashley and her qualified friends were going to spend the hour in the study hall. On the way, they happened to pass by the corridor leading to the headmaster’s office.

“Hey guys, aren’t those the Pierces?”

That comment did not fail to catch Ashley’s attention. Now very much alert, her gaze snapped towards the direction Ai was pointing at. The Ravenclaw was right. The Pierces were right there, both Farah and Graham, speaking with Dumbledore outside his office’s entrance. Merlin, the sight of them together brought Ashley such horrid flashbacks. It didn’t help that they looked exactly like their alternate selves, the ones that had hurt her in the past. She was about ready to run out of there but all of a sudden, Graham was facing her and she was rooted to her spot.

Memories of him flashed in front of her eyes, each one worse than the last. As her father, he was supposed to love her, and she thought he did. He didn’t though. He made that very clear with how he pretended Ashley didn’t exist during the times he was home, which fortunately wasn’t often. He had been a workaholic, one with excessive anger issues that Ashley had to take the brunt of. One thing she could vividly remember about him was that he was always so…creative with his punishments. Not in a good way, far from it.

“What are they doing here?” Cora frowned.

“I don’t know, but we should go.” Ashley insisted.

It took all of her might not to rush away like she desperately wanted to, knowing that Graham’s eyes were still trained on her form. Instead, she walked at a steady pace in the middle of the group, attempting to calm her erratically beating heart. She refused to let the Pierces have any power over her. She was stronger than that, stronger than _them_. She would be fine; they couldn’t hurt her anymore. Kyra had failed to do so, and so would they.

“Ashley?” Heaven softly called once they arrived at the study hall.

“Let’s not talk about it.” Ashley cringed.

“Right, we have homework to do.” Cora reminded.

Ashley nodded and rummaged through her satchel, ushering everyone to an empty table near one of the corners of the hall. She got comfortable, paying no mind to the looks her companions were sharing, and began working on her Potions essay (because of course Snape already gave the class homework). She finished it with half an hour to spare, giving her time to relax a bit before her next class which was Transfiguration. That class was uneventful, and so was dinner. The Pierces weren’t around by then so Ashley assumed that they had thankfully gone home. As it turned out, she was wrong. She found this out the hard way because as she was heading back to her dorm from visiting Persephone, she bumped into none other than Graham Pierce.

“Oh, Mr. Pierce, it’s you.” She startled.

“You sound surprised.” Graham narrowed his eyes.

“I just thought you’d have gone home by now. It’s almost curfew.” Ashley reasoned.

She had to resist the strong urge to shuffle her feet when Graham didn’t reply, keeping his silence as he pinned her with an intense stare. Eventually, she decided to simply leave and get away from the uncomfortable situation. However, just as she sidestepped Graham, he threw an arm out in front of her, preventing her from moving forward. Swallowing, she took a few steps back, cautiously eyeing the man. As calm as she looked on the outside, she was internally panicking and wishing she hadn’t left Moko to nap on her bed.

“Mr. Pierce?” She hesitantly uttered.

“You and I need to have a talk.” Graham said in a monotone voice.

“About what?” Ashley slowly asked, hands gripping her satchel’s strap.

“You know what.” Graham glared.

“I…really don’t.” Ashley pursed her lips.

Her cluelessness seemed to be the breaking point for Graham because that was the moment he snapped. He started shouting, hurtling insults at her left and right. Wide-eyed, she stumbled backwards, the wizard’s booming voice triggering a deep-rooted fear of hers. She instinctively raised both of her hands in front of her, focusing on _not_ curling in on herself while she waited for Graham to tire himself out.

“I understand that you’re upset, and I’m sorry for your daughter, but blaming people for her death won’t bring her back.” She placated, hating how her voice wavered.

“You don’t have the right to say that, not when you’re the reason she’s gone.” Graham angrily countered.

“Mr. Pierce, I think you should leave now. I need to head back to my dorm.”

“Don’t you dare turn your back on me!”

Ashley, who had turned away with the intention of using a shortcut, didn’t get very far. A hand latched onto her hair, roughly pulling her back and extracting a pained scream from her mouth. Forced to spin around, she was then met with a fist to the face, sending her sprawling to the ground. She pushed herself up from the ground and tenderly touched her face, groaning when it stung even under the lightest pressure. Her fingertips came back bloodstained, confirming her suspicions that there was a cut on her left cheek where the punch had landed. Must have been from the ring she wasn’t aware that Graham was wearing.

Unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to reflect on her injuries. Graham seized the front of her robes and lifted her up, slamming her against the wall. She couldn’t find the strength to struggle yet, still not having recovered from the earlier hit.

“You may have fooled everyone, but not me. I know you did something to get my daughter killed.”

“I didn’t do anything! Let me go!”

“No! I’ll make you regret ever going near Kyra.”

“Please, hurting me won’t make you feel better.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“Someone, help-!”

“ _Shut up_!”

Graham’s hands wrapped around Ashley’s throat, successfully cutting off her air supply. Whimpering, she squirmed and flailed, scratching whatever she could reach in an attempt to save herself. She managed to draw blood but this did nothing to deter Graham. In fact, this only encouraged him to further tighten his grip on her. At this point, she was beginning to see dark spots in her vision. She was slowly but surely losing consciousness and was at the verge of passing out until Luna’s words repeated themselves in her mind. Luna had said to call for Hogwarts, so that’s exactly what she did.

Gripping Graham’s wrists, she shut her eyes and reached out for the castle’s magic. She instantly felt it alongside her familiar’s fast approaching magical signature, blanketing her with warmth and comfort. She let the magic seep into her, feeding her weakened form and overwhelming her core. A spark of adrenaline shot through her and her eyes snapped open, irises glowing like a powered Killing Curse. Graham barely registered the change before he was thrown off of her by a wide burst of magic, caused him to crash against the opposite wall.

Ashley crumpled to her hands and knees, coughing and desperately gasping for air. An unintentionally _Engorgio_ ’d Moko quickly curled around her, hissing threateningly at the man who dared to hurt his little one. Graham got to his feet, his head and arms bleeding and his chest heaving, looking every bit the crazed bastard he really was. He revealed his pocketed wand, meaning to attack the Potter Heiress, but was halted when the tip of a sword grazed his neck. Tracing the weapon with his eyes, he soon found that it belonged to a very much alive suit of armor, one of Hogwarts’ many knights. He also realized that it wasn’t alone. About a dozen other knights surrounded him with their swords all aimed at him, preventing him from reaching his target.

Still in the middle of steadying her breathing, Ashley accepted the nearest knight’s offered hand, letting him assist her in standing up. Her wand appeared in her hand as her eyes maintained their ominous glow. She challenged Graham’s glare with one of her own, rejecting the notion of backing down. She was a proud Gryffindor. She had no intentions of fleeing now that she’d been attacked, never mind the pain she was currently in.

“You little bitch,” Graham snarled, “We’re not finished here. I’m coming back for you, and then I’ll come for your friends.”

“You won’t touch them. I won’t let you.” Ashley gritted out.

“You won’t have a choice. You better watch your back. I’ll hunt you down if I have to, I swear it.” Graham growled.

A cold chill ran down Ashley’s spine as the man’s wand lit up, signaling the acknowledgement of a Vow made. He apparated away after sending her a sinister smirk. Huffing, she lowered herself back to the floor, allowing Moko to check her over. She thanked the knights and dismissed them, watching as they bowed to her before retreating to their places. She had planned to stay seated for a few more moments to rest but then she heard the distinct sounds of Filch’s grumbling. Realizing that it was way past curfew, she hurriedly shrunk Moko and sprinted to Gryffindor tower.

The Fat Lady didn’t even bother asking for the password. She was quick to let Ashley pass through, speechless at the state she was in. Ashley staggered into the common room, feeling slightly lightheaded. All of her Gryffindor pals (sans the twins) were there, presumably waiting for her return. Maia was the first to spot her, announcing her presence with a shriek she muffled with her hands. Alarmed, Neville and Dominic whirled around and jumped off their seats in favor of running over to Ashley.

“Oh my Godric!” Maia gasped, “Ashley, what happened?!”

“Graham Pierce happened.” Ashley muttered, leaning her weight against Neville.

“You should have gone to hospital wing!” Dominic reprimanded, “Come on, we’re taking you there.”

“No.” Ashley firmly declined.

“What do you mean ‘no’?! Look at you, you’re bleeding!” Maia exclaimed.

“You really should see Madam Pomfrey.” Neville frowned worriedly.

“Madam Pomfrey will tell Sirius and Remus. They’ll end up in Azkaban before the end of the night.” Ashley claimed.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure they know how to hide a body if the need arises.” Dominic raised an eyebrow.

“He’s right.” Neville agreed, “They’d murder just about anyone for your sake and they definitely won’t get caught, not if it means leaving you.”

Ashley stubbornly shook her head. She’d already made a decision and she was sticking to it. She made her way to the couch and collapsed on top of it, biting her lip to keep from complaining about her sore, well, everything above her torso. Unfortunately, her friends knew her all too well, meaning they saw through her act. They couldn’t sway her to change her mind but what they could do was to offer an alternative. And for the first time, Neville took the initiative.

“Let me get Cora.” He suggested, “She’ll be able to fix you up.”

“Alright, fine… My cloak’s on my bed.” Ashley sighed.

Maia nodded and rushed to their dorm room, sneaking in and out without alerting any of the drowsing girls. She tossed Neville the cloak and shooed him towards the exit. She sat down beside Ashley with Dominic on the other side and proceeded to interrogate the girl. Ashley wasn’t willing to share her story, not wanting to relive the violent memory yet. Additionally, she wanted to wait until all of the Marauders were gathered together to avoid having to repeat herself. While waiting, she did notice that Dominic and Maia kept glancing at her face.

“Does it look that bad?”

“…Wanna see for yourself?”

Permitted by Ashley’s reluctant nod, Dominic summoned a large mirror and levitated it in front of her. She would have cringed upon seeing her reflection if the action wasn’t so painful. Her left cheek was red and really swollen, already showing the telltale signs of a nasty bruise forming. The whole thing made the cut on top of it look worse that it really was. The skin around it was turning purple and blue and it was covered in dried blood but at the very least, it wasn’t deep so it wouldn’t leave a scar. But then there was her neck. Graham’s handprints were bold against her pale complexion. They were marks she was familiar with, marks she _loathed_ having on her again... In other words, she looked properly beat up.

A little later, Neville showed up with Cora in tow and the latter promptly freaked out upon discerning the extent of Ashley’s injuries. The Ravenclaw had her wand out in less than a second and was waving it all over Ashley, smothering the poor girl with a variety of healing spells. Cora even pulled out vials of healing potions from her robe, coaxing Ashley to drink them all. By the end of it, Ashley looked as if her encounter with Graham never happened. Kinda. The swelling of Ashley’s cheek had almost gone down completely and the cut was fully closed. There were still traces of bruising on her neck and cheek but nothing that wouldn’t heal within a few days.

“Thanks, Cora…” She smiled gratefully.

“How do you feel?” Cora asked.

“Sore and pissed off,” Ashley answered, “but better.”

“You know, you’re lucky my mum’s a Healer or else you would have had no choice but to go to Madam Pomfrey.” Cora remarked.

“Snape would have been my second option.” Ashley snorted out a laugh.

“Go rest.” Cora ordered with an exasperated smile.

Ashley’s protest was interrupted by her own yawn. One of the potions she drank apparently had a side-effect of drowsiness and she was definitely feeling it. She had no other choice but to let Maia drag her to their dorm, leaving her cloak with the boys so they could escort Cora back to the other tower. Ashley proceeded to drop face-first on her bed, careful not to crush her familiar. She snuggled into her covers, not minding the fact that she wasn’t even remotely dressed for sleeping.

“You’re gonna have to tell them someday.” Maia whispered.

“I will, just not today. Maybe on the full moon, that way neither of them will be able to apparate away.” Ashley mused.

She was knocked out after that comment. The next morning, she woke up later than usual. She nearly missed breakfast, having needed to cast a light glamour over herself to hide her bruises. Everyone was already eating when she came barreling in, earning a number of concerned stares, not only from the other students but also from some of the castle staff. The Marauders who were sitting with the Hufflepuffs waved her over and expressed their worry as soon as they were within her hearing range.

“I’m fine. My core’s a bit depleted, I think, but I’m fine.” She assured.

“You sure?” Ai raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah. I’ve felt worse.” Ashley shrugged.

She urged her friends to continue eating, picking at her own food while she watched them. Alyssa, Mitchelle, Cedric, Draco, Blaise, Cora, Pansy, Luna, Neville, Fred, George, Maia, Dominic, Thalia, Ai, Heaven… They were Ashley’s friends, her _family_. Graham could threaten her all he liked. She would never submit for as long as she lived. She would protect her family until her very last breath. If Graham ever targeted one of her loved ones… Well, she’d just have to deal with him like she dealt his daughter. No mercy.


	20. Somewhere Special

Ashley drummed her fingers on the table’s surface, trying so hard to focus on the book she was reading. She’d been stuck on the same paragraph for the past seven minutes since her mind was having trouble processing each and every word. Frustrated, she shook her head and slammed the book shut. She pushed it away from her before dropping her forehead on the table, letting her arms hang loosely at her sides. She was tired, and angry, and so very hungry. She’d skipped breakfast in favor of sleeping in due to yet another restless night. She couldn’t _not_ attend her first subject, lest she worried all of her friends, and homework had been given so she didn’t have time to slip into the kitchens. So now there she was, sitting in a secluded part of the library, all miserable and alone (not counting Moko who was wrapped around her neck). Well, she thought she was alone. She was not in the right mind to sense the approaching presence from behind. For this reason, she nearly fell off her chair when a hand landed on her shoulder.

“It’s just us.” Alyssa placated, with Fred, George, and Mitchelle standing alongside her.

“Right, yeah, sorry…” Ashley apologized.

“You’re on edge, we get it.” Alyssa reassured.

“You don’t have to apologize for anything.” Mitchelle added, “After what happened, I’d be jumpy too.”

Ashley sighed and slouched against the back of her chair. She took off her glasses, placing them on the table, before rubbing her face with both hands. She refused to meet any of her friends’ concerned gazes, fearing that they would be able to see through the glamour she’d cast on herself to hide the bags under her eyes. As much as she appreciated how much they cared for her, she didn’t need them smothering her or worse, alerting the school staff about her less-than-ideal health state.

“This just so… _stupid_.” She groaned, “He’s not even here, and I haven’t seen him since that night, but I just can’t help myself. He made a Vow. He’ll come back for me one of these days and it’s killing me not knowing when.”

She accepted the comfort her friends offered but they couldn’t do much to settle her anxiety. So, she chose to lay all her focus back on her History of Magic essay. Eventually, she went off on her own to search for another reference book. She happened to bump into Luna on the way who wordlessly smiled and handed something over from behind her back. It was a dreamcatcher. Its pure silver yarn was woven like a large snowflake, decorated with ice clue beads, crystals, and feathers. It was quite beautiful. To be honest, it reminded Ashley of the one she had back at her old apartment. They were eerily similar, but who was she to question it?

“It’s a Muggle contraption, isn’t it? I made it for you, because I heard it helps keep nightmares away.”

“Thanks, Luna…”

Ashley carefully tucked the dreamcatcher into her satchel and thanked the younger Ravenclaw again for the lovely gift. She then returned to the table where her friends were still gathered and resumed with doing her homework. With Mitchelle’s help (because history had always been one of her strongest subjects), Ashley quickly finished with a quarter of an hour to spare until her next subject. The twins thought it best to spend this time in a large, hidden alcove where they had somehow set up a whole picnic for everyone to enjoy. There were also lit candles everywhere. To set the mood, the twins said. The whole thing looked like a proper date. No wonder Alyssa was cringing and Mitchelle just looked plain uncomfortable. Fortunately for them, they remembered their soul-bonded and used hanging out with them as an excuse to run away. Neither Fred or George minded.

They sat down on the laid out blanket, patting the space between them. Ashley smiled fondly, plopping down and accepting the bacon sandwiches extended towards her. If she didn’t know any better, she would have assumed that the twins had made it all for her, but she did know better. From the amount of food that was in their charmed basket, they had definitely asked for the house-elves’ assistance. At least it was just enough to feed three people. What, with the twin’s enormous appetites. Although, there were a few bacon strips set aside which greatly confused Ashley. That was until Hedwig swept in and landed right in front of her.

“Hey, girl. What’ve you got for me there?” Ashley curiously asked.

Hedwig dropped the envelope she was carrying in Ashley’s lap before hooting and staring expectantly. Ashley gestured towards the basket, letting her owl hop on across as she grabbed the envelope and turned it over. Upon seeing the seal stamped on the front, she instantly knew that whatever was held inside was an urgent matter.

“A letter from Gringotts?” George piped up.

“You haven’t gotten one of those in a while.” Fred commented.

“Yeah. I wonder what this is about.” Ashley mused.

“Read it.” The twins pressed.

Ashley nodded and tore the envelope open. She retrieved the letter within it and unfolded it, recognizing the Head Goblin’s neat handwriting. She skimmed through the words, eyes slowly widening as she progressed further.

****_Heiress Potter,_ ** **

****_I have some very important news for you. The wills of Lord James Potter and Lady Lily Potter have been uncovered. They had been sealed away in a vault Dumbledore rarely used. I do genuinely apologize for not finding them sooner. Do send a corresponding letter whenever you wish to set a date for the reading for their wills. Your guardians have already been informed as well._ ** **

****_Griphook_ ** **

Blinking, Ashley slowly lowered the letter, mind still processing what she’d just read. Her parents’ wills, sealed away by none other than Albus fucking Dumbledore. She could guess what was written in them. Her parents probably revealed who their real Secret Keeper was, which meant that Sirius could have never been sent to Azkaban. He and Remus could have taken her in and raised her like they were meant to and she never would have grown up with the Dursleys. She could have had a much better childhood, but there was no point in dwelling in the past and thinking about certain ‘what if’s. There was no going back, only forward. And right now, arranging a date for the will reading was of utmost importance.

“Will you guys cover for me this Saturday?”

“Of course!”

“Whatever you need!”

The twins urged Ashley to finish her food before she left for Gryffindor tower, using a shortcut to get there faster. She waved at the other students lounging in the common room and proceeded up to her dorm. She chose to write her reply on the floor in a rushed fashion, not wanting to be late to Potions, of all subjects. She sent her letter off with Hedwig and dashed off to class. Griphook’s answer came in the mail the next day, consenting for the meeting to occur that upcoming weekend. Sirius and Remus would be there, of course, and someone else that apparently had a part in the will reading. Ashley couldn’t wait.

Time flew by pretty fast. Saturday arrived and true to their word, Fred and George happily distracted the castle staff with a few, well-planned tricks. As extra precaution, Ashley traveled all the way up to the Astronomy tower to make sure nobody would see her leave. However, just as she was about to apparate away, a drawling voice rang out from behind her.

“Miss Potter.” Snape called.

“Professor!” Ashley gasped, “You, uh, startled me.”

“Usually, you’re much more alert than that.” Snape raised an eyebrow.

“I’m just a bit out of it today…” Ashley muttered.

“Then you certainly shouldn’t be apparating on your own.” Snape pointed out.

“I’m fine, really. I can do this.” Ashley insisted.

“Now is not the time to be stubborn,” Snape asserted, “unless you wish to spend the day in the hospital wing instead of wherever you need to be.”

“Then how am I supposed to-” Ashley was cut off.

“I received a letter from the goblins, requesting my presence for your parents’ will reading. I assume you’re headed there as well so for your sake, we shall apparate together.” Snape said, leaving no room for objection.

Eventually, Ashley relented because as much as she didn’t want to admit it, Snape was right. Her lack of proper focus was a sure way to get herself splinched and that obviously wouldn’t do her any good. She didn’t want to worry her soul-bonded who, by the way, still weren’t aware of the incident with Graham Pierce. She had managed to keep her injuries a secret during their monthly full moon visit but losing one of her limbs from a failed apparition would be terribly hard to hide. She did feel guilty for keeping all of that from them after swearing not to keep any more secrets, but it was better that way.

She and Snape apparated right outside Gringotts, both cloaked and hooded to avoid unwanted and unnecessary attention. A female goblin was waiting for them at the entrance. She gestured for them to follow her and led them to the Head Goblin’s office where Griphook welcomed them with a genial greeting. Although, it was probably aimed more at Ashley than Snape. Having arrived a little early, they had to sit tight for Sirius and Remus to turn up but it didn’t take too long. Everyone knew never to make a goblin wait. It was significantly disrespectful to the race, even if the one to do it was of high standings.

The will reading started then. Lily and James’ wills were fairly similar. The first information they provided was the identity of their Secret Keeper. As useless as that bit was in the current time, it did manage to prove Ashley’s thoughts from before right. The next revealed the reason Snape had been summoned. Both Lily and James apologized for their mistakes and any ill feelings between the three of them. They even gave the Potions Master one of the many properties under the Potter name (which Ashley hadn’t even been aware of). Fortunately, Sirius was mature enough to not make fun of the man when he got slightly emotional. But then came part where James was addressing Sirius and Remus. Sirius just had to laugh at Remus’ scandalized expression when James pronounced the werewolf as Lord Regent.

“Lord Regent?” Ashley repeated thoughtfully.

“Why are you laughing?” Remus snapped at his mate, “Did you know about this?”

“James might have mentioned it once or twice but I thought he was joking.” Sirius snickered.

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Remus glared.

“I forgot.” Sirius shrugged, finally calming down.

“Why couldn’t he have given you that title?” Remus frowned.

“Because I’m already the Lord of my own House,” Sirius explained, “and you’re far more responsible than I am. This might be the smartest thing Prongs has done.”

While her soul-bonded continued to bicker like an old married couple, Ashley leaned forward and quietly asked Griphook for a list of _all_ the properties she would inherit, not just the Potter ones. She wasn’t stupid. As the Heir of three noble and ancient Houses, she knew that she would be getting more than a couple of properties. Remus would only be in charge of those under the Potter name so she would have to take care of the others even if she wasn’t of age yet.

* * *

****POTTER PROPERTIES** **

Potter Manor and Estate (Full Ownership) – Somerset, England

Potter Cottage (Full Ownership) – Godric’s Hollow, England

Potter Isles (Full Ownership) – Off the coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea

Peverell Castle (Full Ownership) – Dorset, England

Gryffindor Castle (Full Ownership) – Dunfermline, Scotland

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (25% Ownership) – Scottish Highlands

* * *

Ashley nodded to herself, satisfied, as she stared at the list. She had (or would have) six properties, three of which Remus was presently responsible for and the last one she shared with another Heir. So, she only had to check up on the castles in Dorset and Dunfermline. That was something to add to her never-ending to-do list.

Lily and James’ wills ended with wishes regarding their daughter’s safety and well-being. While the other two were dismissed, Remus and Sirius had to stay to deal with the former’s new title. Ashley was tempted to keep them company, knowing neither of them would object, but Snape had to go or else Dumbledore would start to question his whereabouts. And since Snape was Ashley’s ride back to Hogwarts, she had to go too. She was a bit disappointed that she couldn’t spend more time with her soul-bonded but nevertheless, she headed back to school.

Almost a week after that day, she found herself walking down an empty corridor, speaking to her familiar in Parseltongue. At this point in her life, she really should have known better than to go places all alone. Something always happened to her whenever she wasn’t guarded by at least one of her friends. She’d gotten cornered, confronted, and pulled aside for a number of times now. If she’d have learned her lesson, a certain someone wouldn’t have been able to grab her hand and yank her into an unused classroom. She nearly did scream, thinking Graham was back for revenge, but her magic recognized her soul-bonded in time. Still, Sirius and Remus didn’t miss the way her eyes widened with fear. She huffed out a relieved laugh, attempting to play off her instinctive reaction.

“Siri, Remy, hi.” She breathed.

“Hello, darling.” Sirius smiled, looking slightly confused.

“Not that I’m complaining, I mean, I’m really glad to see you, but why are you here?” Ashley asked.

“Well, we have a surprise for you.” Remus divulged, “When’s your next class?”

“Two and a half hours from now.” Ashley answered.

“That’s more than enough time. Go get dressed, we’re taking you somewhere special.” Sirius instructed.

“Okay!” Ashley beamed.

It was a good thing that her dorm wasn’t far from the classroom she’d been dragged in. Sirius and Remus didn’t have to wait long for her to come back, now clothed in casual blue robes with additional accessories for the cold weather. They each grabbed one of her hands and told her to shut her eyes, Sirius even going as far as to conjure a blindfold for her to use. The three of them then apparated away.

The first thing that Ashley felt, aside from her feet touching solid ground, was the cool winter breeze blowing past her face. It meant that they were most likely out in the open somewhere. Ashley let her magic reach out and was met with particularly strong wards. They were very much unfamiliar but similar to Hogwarts, they gave way and welcomed her, hostility nowhere to be found. This made her suspect that she was at one of the Potter properties she’d recently learned about. Her thoughts were put to rest when one of her soul-bonded, she couldn’t quite see who, mercifully untied her blindfold.

“Welcome to the Potter Estate.” The elder Marauders grinned, gesturing all around them.

The Potter Estate sure was a sight to behold. The land was filled with lush greenery, lightly dusted with a blanket of snow. The manor was grand, luxurious even, but still homely. It was nowhere near as domineering as the Malfoys’ prized home. Ashley could imagine the memories her father and grandparents had made there. She, herself, had no actual memories of the place but her soul-bonded had told her tons of stories from the many times they’d stayed over (or in Sirius’ case, when he’d lived there).

“Let’s go in, shall we?” Remus suggested.

Excited, Ashley nodded and followed him through the large entrance with Sirius leisurely trailing after them. She very nearly gaped once inside, not because of the lavish décor (although it was worth staring at too), but because of the house-elf that received her with open arms. It was Dobby! For as long as Ashley had been looking for him, he’d been in the manor all along as a Potter house-elf. _He_ was the family Bippy had mentioned before, her mate and the father of her son, Warby.

“Cub, why don’t you and Moko go explore? We’ll have tea ready when you come back.”

Ashley was _way_ ahead of Remus. She was already in the process of strolling out the room before he was even finished with his sentence. Spotting the stairs before anything else, she decided to roam around the upper level of the manor first. She found a lot of long untouched bedrooms, one of which she was sure had belonged to Sirius based on all the posters on the walls. At the end of one hall, right across what she assumed was the master bedroom, was a door painted green with a golden doe carved on its surface. The Potter Heiress didn’t have to open it to figure out that it would have been her room had her family not moved. After snooping around more for a bit, she thought it was as good a time as any to return to her soul-bonded.

She was on the very last step of the stairs when her magic suddenly flared, sensing something…strange in the near hall. Her feet began moving on their own accord, taking her to a large family room. She looked around and narrowed her eyes when she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Her magic couldn’t be wrong, it never was, but perhaps there really was a first time for everything. Still, she was reluctant to leave. As it turned out, she didn’t have to. Because just as she went to do exactly that, she was stopped by a voice she hadn’t heard in a _very_ long time.

“Bambi?”

Ashley froze in her spot. Slowly, she spun around and felt her jaw drop to the floor. She took one step forward, two steps, three, until she was steadily approaching the farthest wall of the room. She paused when she deemed herself near enough and hovered a shaking hand over one of the two portraits the wall donned.

“Mum...?”

Lily tearfully nodded as her hands flew to cover her mouth, stifling a joyful sob. Ashley wasn’t doing much better. Her mind was running a mile per minute but dear Merlin, her mother was _beautiful_. Ashley had always known that but this time was different. She could understand why her father fell hard right from the first day and floundered for the rest. Any man who had eyes and good taste, even pure-blood purists, would be affected by Lily’s ethereal beauty.

“James, come quick! James!” Lily cried.

“What? Are Moony and Padfoot back?” A disembodied voice called back.

“She’s here, James! Our baby’s here…” She said, her voice dying off into a whisper by the end of it.

James was quick to appear then. He stumbled into view from beyond the frame of Lily’s portrait, despite having his own. His wide eyes immediately softened upon catching sight of his one and only daughter, the one he hadn’t been given the chance to raise right. She was only a baby last he remembered. Now here she was, standing right in front of him, twelve years old and nearing her teens. She was a perfect mix of him and his Lily flower, yet still entirely her own person.

“Dad…” She murmured, bright eyes staring up at him with adoration.

James’ heart melted in his chest, successfully reminding him that his daughter would always have him wrapped around her finger. However, he knew that as much as he loved her, no one would be as taken with her as the two men creeping up behind her. Luckily for her, she was alert this time. She turned to hug and thank her soul-bonded profusely, missing the knowing look her parents shared. James and Lily might have been just portraits of their real selves, but that didn’t make them any less _aware_. They could only hope that the situation would end well for their Bambi because if she ever got hurt…

Best friends or not, they would find some way to bring themselves back to life to beat the ever living shit out of both Sirius and Remus.


	21. Best Valentine's Yet

****Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scottish Highlands** **

“Ashley?”

Startled, Ashley looked up from where she was shuffling through her satchel. The owner of the voice that had called her name happened to be Colin who, oddly enough, looked as red as blood-flavored lollipops. Wondering what he wanted from her, she set her satchel down on her lap and invited him to sit next to her on the bench she was on. In response, he shook his head and thrust something in her hands before running off down the hallway. That something turned out to be a Chocolate Frog package, which she deeply appreciated considering her sweet tooth. However, she was understandably confused as to why it had been given to her. Before she could think up a reason, she realized that it was time for her first class of the day. So, she shoved the package into her satchel and rushed to the History of Magic classroom.

Unfortunately, or fortunately really, this trend of receiving random gifts continued on until noon. Ashley was offered all kinds of treats and several notes she hadn’t read yet. Half of them were actually handed by the other students she passed while going from class to class, and the rest were presented by harp-carrying dwarves wearing golden wings _during_ classes. Scatterbrained from a lack of proper sleep, Ashley failed to register what it all meant. She stayed completely clueless until she met up with her friends for lunch and noticed most of the girls’ unexplained cheerfulness.

“Why are you all so…giggly today?” She asked, scrunching her nose.

“Do you really not know?” Ai blinked, shocked.

“Know what?” Ashley frowned.

“Ash, it’s Valentine’s Day!” Maia exclaimed.

“Oh.” Ashley muttered dumbly.

“Merlin, why do you think everyone’s been giving you letters and chocolates?” Alyssa grinned, highly amused.

“I don’t know!” Ashley weakly shrugged, “I recognized most of them from my tutoring so I thought they were maybe thanking me for that.”

“Oh, wait ‘til you see the great hall.” Cora laughed.

Ashley wished she hadn’t. The great hall was just so _pink_ , and dear Merlin was it obnoxious. Lockhart looked so proud of himself too. That smirk of his was grating on Ashley’s nerves. On a normal day, she would have been able to ignore him but aside from being absent-minded, her streak of restless nights had made her a bit short-fused. She’d already snapped at her friends more times than she would have liked. Luckily, they were quick to forgive her but she did still feel bad for not having a lid on her temper.

She later found herself in the courtyard, perched on the fountain as she sketched her beloved familiar. She’d taken up the hobby just a couple of days ago actually, when her nightmares had woken her up at 3:00 in the morning. Instead of going back to sleep, she had grabbed parchment and a pencil and drew whatever came to mind until sunrise. The activity proved to be a good distraction from the paranoia that had been plaguing her since the Graham incident. It helped that she was quite decent at it. At least, that’s what Sirius and Remus had said when she’d sent them her first sketch. Although, now probably wasn’t the best time to think of her soul-bonded, not while she was surrounded by couples who were all acting like they hadn’t seen each in forever.

“ _You are upset._ ” Moko noticed, lifting his head from where he was coiled.

“ _What? No, I’m not._ ” Ashley denied, “ _Why would I be?_ ”

“ _You cannot lie to me, little one._ ” Moko hissed knowingly.

“ _It’s stupid..._ ” Ashley pouted.

“ _I don’t think so._ ” Moko disagreed, “ _I may be just a serpent, but I do know that being away from your mate is a proper reason to be upset about._ ”

“ _I have no right to be feel this way. It’s not like they know I’m their mate, not that I think they’d want to know either…_ ” Ashley grumbled.

“ _You shouldn’t speak so lowly of yourself._ _They love you. They would not dare to reject you._ ” Moko insisted.

“ _You don’t know that…_ ” Ashley quietly rebutted.

“ _Perhaps you’re right, but if they do reject you, they would not be alive for very long. I would make sure of it._ ” Moko declared.

“ _Moko, you can’t kill them for not wanting me._ ” Ashley half-heartedly reproached, fighting back a fond smile.

“ _Why not?_ ” Moko tilted his head,“ _No one will find out. Only you and I will know._ ”

“ _I don’t want them to die just because they don’t love me the same way I love them._ ” Ashley sighed.

“ _But that won’t be the reason of their deaths. I understand that one cannot force love, but they_ will _die for hurting you._ ” Moko swore.

Ashley huffed out a laugh and instructed him to pose once more, feeling much more eager to continue her sketching. She finished the picture within the next few minutes and proudly showed it to her familiar who enthusiastically praised her for a job well done. She retrieved her photo album from her satchel and stuck her new artwork in the back where all her other sketches were. She probably should buy herself a folder to compile them in. That was something to remember the next time she spoke to Fred and George so they could buy her one during a Hogsmeade weekend.

_Speak of the devil…_

“Happy Valentine’s, little raven.” The twins chorused, plopping down on either side of her.

“Happy Valentine’s, you guys.” She greeted in return.

“We think you should go to the seventh floor.” Fred remarked.

“We also think you should go there right this instant.” George added.

“And skip class?” Ashley raised an eyebrow.

“Lockhart won’t be a problem.” The twins assured.

Ashley had no reason _not_ to believe them. Not once had they ever led her astray so she trusted them with her life. They always seemed to know things for the better of everyone. Ashley still wasn’t aware _how_ , but she had long since figured that it had something to do with the celestials, and who was she to question the four siblings? If the redheads thought it was a good idea to skip DADA (a useless class since Lockhart had taken over) in favor of going to the seventh floor for whatever reason, then she would gladly do so.

She climbed up the grand staircase, thankful that the castle wasn’t messing with her today. Surprisingly enough, Hogwarts had a bit of a mischievous personality. It adored playing with the students, especially its Heirs. Tom had said that he had been often brought to the wrong places whenever he hadn’t been in a hurry. The staircases would stop at the wrong floor and the shortcuts would steer him towards dead ends. Ashley, herself, rarely ever experienced this, but only because she went to classes last minute. Hogwarts almost never had time to mess with her.

“Look who it is.”

Ashley whirled around and gaped at the two men standing in the middle of the corridor, casually smirking at her as if they weren’t somewhere they shouldn’t be in. Although, technically speaking, were they really intruding if Hogwarts willingly let them through its wards?

“Barty, Rabastan, what are you two doing here?” Ashley asked suspiciously.

“Rabastan is such a handful.” Barty complained, “Just call him Basty, like I do.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Ashley glared.

“It’s Valentine’s Day.” Rabastan uttered, as if he expected everything to make sense with those simple words.

“It is. So what?” Ashley rolled her eyes.

Grinning, Barty gestured for her to follow him and Rabastan as they walked further along the corridor. She reluctantly did so, trailing after them until they stopped in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. When Barty began pacing with a focused expression, she realized that they were headed for the Room of Requirement. The doors appeared then, and Barty looked so smug about it that it made Ashley dread what was behind them. She’d been right to feel that way seeing as the doors opened up to reveal a spacious room all decked in red, with rose petals on the floor forming a path towards the heart-shaped bed.

“You better be joking.”

“If I’m not?”

“You’re gonna miss a _really_ important limb.”

“Alright. Calm down, _little raven_.”

Ashley narrowed her eyes at the nickname. Only Fred and George had ever called her that. Not that she actually minded. It was just a tiny bit weird, especially since as far as she knew, neither of the two Death Eaters had even called her by name. For as long as she knew them, they’d never actually had to address her as anything other than the Dark Lord’s equal. Of course, that was probably a sign of respect in the same way that nobody (except her and Henrik) was allowed to call Tom, well, _Tom_.

Too caught up in her thoughts, Ashley didn’t notice Barty summon a different room until Rabastan nudged her. In place of the bedroom was a lounge-type area, somewhat similar to the Malfoys’ family room but much homelier in appearance. Ashley was ushered inside and urged to sit on the lone sofa, soon being sandwiched between Barty and Rabastan. While the former of the two propped his feet up on the coffee table and leaned back to relax, the latter reached within his robes and pulled out a single flower in pristine condition. A white camellia, to be specific. Ashley didn’t quite remember its meaning but she accepted it nonetheless. She would ask Neville later on. In the meantime, she had answers to get.

“Alright. What are you two doing?” Ashley asked, crossing her arms to prove that she was in no mood for bullshit.

“Keeping you company.” Barty easily replied.

“Did Tom send you?” Ashley furrowed her eyebrows.

“No.” Barty shook his head, “We just wanted to visit.”

“For _what_?” Ashley pressed.

“Like I said, it’s Valentine’s Day,” Rabastan reiterated, “and we’re your Valentines. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”

“No, I guess not…” Ashley slowly trailed off.

With that, Barty called for Winky (the house-elf had taken to serving him since Crouch Sr.’s abrupt death a few months ago) and requested tea for everyone present. Ashley offered all the sweets she’d accumulated all afternoon and thought it best to share her story as well, just to pass the time productively. Both Barty and Rabastan were nothing less than intrigued with how drastic her life had changed. Despite everything she divulged, they seemed particularly entertained with the fact that she was a twenty-year-old Muggle woman from a modern alternate universe stuck in the body of a twelve-year-old girl with potent magic flowing through her veins. The then teenager had never, and could have never, seen it coming.

A couple of hours later, the trio’s little Valentine’s date had to be cut short due to Ashley needing to attend dinner. She’d already skipped a class. If she skipped a meal as well, the other professors would be sure to notice and she definitely didn’t want that. Her only problem was that her Death Eater friends refused to leave her alone, protesting that they hadn’t spent enough time together. She tried with all her might to get them to leave but Barty was being infuriatingly stubborn and Rabastan looked like he wasn’t even listening.

“You can’t just-oh, Professor, hi!”

Ashley tucked her hands behind her back, frantically motioning Barty and Rabastan to stay hidden behind the corner. She made sure she gave nothing away as she steadily kept her gaze on Lockhart, resisting the urge to scowl at his sickeningly bright robes. He had style, sure, but she would rather be caught dead than say it was good.

“Miss Potter,” Lockhart greeted, “you missed my class.”

“I’m sorry, Professor. I wasn’t feeling very well.” Ashley smoothly lied.

“Are you feeling better? If you’re ever in need of my assistance, I have to say that I’m quite adept at healing charms.” Lockhart boasted.

“I’ve heard.” Ashley internally cringed, thinking of the scene where he’d accidentally vanished Harry’s bones.

“Just who were you talking to?” Lockhart asked, glancing around in search of other people.

“Snake. I was talking to a snake.” Ashley deadpanned.

“An incredible talent, to speak Parseltongue.” Lockhart praised, “I, myself, can speak a number of forgotten languages. If you don’t mind, can you show me?”

“ _I can think of a hundred things I would rather do than have this conversation with you._ ” Ashley smiled sweetly.

Lockhart was conceited enough to assume that she was talking about him. She was, but obviously not in the good way he was thinking. The only good thing that came out of this was that her compliance satisfied him into leaving her alone. However, instead of walking back the way he came from, he was about to round the corner where Barty and Rabastan were. Wanting to avoid a confrontation, Ashley rushed to block Lockhart.

“Miss Potter?”

“I don’t think you should go this way, Professor.”

“Why not?”

“I saw something roaming. I’m not sure what it was but it must be another of Professor Kettleburn’s escaped animals.”

“I’ve faced many dangerous creatures in my life. There’s nothing I won’t be able to handle.”

“Well… If you insist.”

Ashley stepped aside and watched Lockhart come face to face with Barty. Before the DADA professor could scream, a green light struck him in the chest. He collapsed on the ground, eyes still wide open with terror. Ashley clicked her tongue and moved away, glowering at the Death Eaters in disapproval.

“The Killing Curse, really?”

“Nobody will miss him. You certainly won’t.”

“We’ll get rid of the body for you.”

“No, it’s fine. I know what to do with him.”

Ashley swiftly transfigured Lockhart’s cooling body into a bone, inspired by Barty’s peculiar method of hiding his father’s murder. She pocketed the bone into her satchel, planning to throw the thing down into the Chamber after dinner. She then turned towards Barty and Rabastan and urged them to leave lest anyone else gets killed.

“Seems like you’ve got everything under control.” Rabastan mused, “We’ll take our leave now.”

“You should have left earlier,” Ashley scoffed, “but um…”

“Yes?” Barty goaded.

“Thank you… For, you know, keeping me company.” Ashley coughed awkwardly.

She flushed when both men smirked at her. She glanced away and fiddled with the flower in her hands, resolutely avoiding their gazes. That was until a hand tucked her hair behind her ear, forcing her to look at Barty who winked before disapparating alongside Rabastan. Ignoring her least favorite professor’s death (though perhaps that was an added bonus), the Potter Heiress supposed it was safe to say that today had been her best Valentine’s yet.


	22. Big Fun

Ashley sat near the end of the Hufflepuff table, squeezed between Mitchelle and Alyssa as they listened to Dumbledore’s speech about Lockhart’s disappearance. The professor went missing (got killed) about a couple of weeks ago and ever since then, Aurors had been permitted inside Hogwarts to investigate. It was about damn time, seeing as he was already the third missing person, the first two being Alexandra and Kyra. Obviously, nobody found his body, only his wand at the edge of the forest, so he was declared dead this morning. None of the Marauders cared, of course, but they had to act like they did. It wouldn’t do any of them good to be pinned as a suspect just because they couldn’t keep a straight face.

Breakfast wasn’t as animate as it would be on a normal day. The population of Hogwarts was mourning silently for the loss of three lives, and that was understandable. What irritated Ashley, though, was the way Lockhart’s fangirls kept wailing about the unfairness of the situation, about how such a _great wizard_ could be taken away just like that. Some people were simply too blind to face the reality of things. There were even memorials built right outside the great hall. Well actually, they looked more like shrines with the candles and overload of pictures and everything.

“I sure will miss him.” Alyssa mused, eyeing one particular picture where Lockhart was posing with all his books.

“No, you won’t.” Ashley snickered.

“No, I won’t.” Alyssa agreed, “I haven’t met such a useless teacher since eleventh grade.”

“ _Teachers_ , you mean. We had two, remember?” Ashley helpfully reminded.

“Oh my Godric, I forgot about them! Math and Science, the terrible two.” Mitchelle laughed.

“What were their names? Mr. Ro…Rolland? Roman?” Alyssa tried.

“It was Rohan.” Ashley supplied, “Mr. Rohan and Mrs. Liu.”

“Yeah, them! Every class was so bloody frustrating. I barely learned anything that year.” Mitchelle complained.

“Same. I genuinely thought I wasn’t gonna pass both subjects.” Ashley groaned.

“Thank _Merlin_ we all did.” Alyssa sighed in relief, earning murmurs of agreement.

The Golden Trio continued to loiter the hallways, reminiscing about their high school days. They had the time to do it even though it was a weekday. Had Lockhart not been killed, they would have been in DADA right now, but he was gone and Dumbledore had yet to hire a replacement. The other professors couldn’t very well fill in for Lockhart. They had their own tight schedules, which really proved how understaffed the castle was. Hundreds upon hundreds of students under only _fourteen_ teachers, now _thirteen_? Ashley, Mitchelle, Alyssa---the three of them had attended a small school back then, much smaller than Hogwarts, but even then, they’d had a maximum of more than fourteen teachers. That was certainly something to fix once Dumbledore was out and the Heirs were finally in charge of what was rightfully theirs.

Eventually, the Golden Trio had to part ways. At least, one of them had to. Mitchelle had a prior engagement to go to with Neville and Pansy. She was in a rush so the Hufflepuff failed to disclose the reason why. However, she did say that they would be in Greenhouse 1 if anyone were to look for them. Ashley and Alyssa easily let her go and hung around the trophy case, internally longing to have their very own plaques one day. If Ashley was lucky enough, hers would be placed right beside her father’s.

“What do we do now?” She piped up, turning to Alyssa.

“Hm… Oh! I’m supposed to meet Draco at the pitch.” Alyssa recalled, “He wanted to practice for next year.”

“And act as the third wheel? Like I don’t already do that on a daily basis.”

“You won’t be the third wheel, I promise. Cedric will be there and Draco probably invited a couple of others along. Come on, it’ll be big fun.”

“Sure. I’ve got nothing better to do.”

The two second years headed outside the castle and to the Quidditch pitch, retrieving their brooms from the broom shed along the way. Ashley grinned to herself as she held her Nimbus 2000 in both hands, excited to take flight for the first time in _months_. Since last year, actually. Ashley’s soul-bonded had their own brooms so they could’ve gone for a ride together during the break but flying during winter just wasn’t ideal. She had also been very busy at the time with all of Tom’s plans and whatnot. Quidditch (or simply flying, in general) had been far from her mind but not anymore.

“Look! They’re over there, see? I told you, you wouldn’t be a third wheel.”

“You did. Ever thought of replacing Trelawney? You seem like you’ve got the talent for it.”

“If I ever get tired of playing Quidditch, I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Among the gathered boys (Cedric, Dominic, Blaise, and Draco), Cedric was the first to spot the approaching duo. He grinned and waved at them, consequently bringing the others’ attention to them as well. Alyssa began jogging to cross the field and reach the group faster, eyes aimed at Draco who couldn’t have worn a more hopelessly-in-love expression on his face. Shaking her head in fond exasperation, Ashley refused to pick up her pace. Instead, she took her time just to see the annoyed glare Alyssa inevitably sent her.

“Hey, Ash.” Cedric greeted, “Didn’t expect you here but it’s a good thing that you are. We’ll be evened out this way.”

“I’m always up for some friendly competition. So, how are we doing this?” Ashley eagerly asked.

“Two Chasers and one Keeper per team. Think you can play as something other than a Seeker, Potter?” Malfoy goaded.

“You’re on, Malfoy. Let’s play.” Ashley smirked.

It ended up with her, Cedric, and Dominic versus Draco, Alyssa, and Blaise. Simultaneously, they all mounted their brooms and kicked off the ground, getting into position. Ashley was a bit out of her element for a short while, unused to the way a Chaser should play, but she got the hang of it eventually. She scored more than she’d expected she would, at least. Draco’s group still won but that was fine. Ashley had fun nonetheless, even when she and Alyssa accidentally collided in the air, taking them both down like what happened during their first Quidditch match. Fortunately, their fall hadn’t been that hard because they’d been barely five feet high at the time. Other than a few nasty bruises, they were completely fine. Ashley was more than fine now, actually. She was more relaxed that she had been in weeks. Flying always did wonders for her psyche. With that said, she walked off to Herbology with a smile.

Nothing interesting occurred for the rest of the day, not until the next. It was a Saturday and Ashley thought the time perfect for some light reading. She situated herself beneath the shade the Black Lake’s beech tree provided and leaned back against its trunk, closing her eyes for a moment to enjoy the cool breeze rushing across her face. She propped her book on her lap and settled in, determined to finish reading before lunch.

As she reached the halfway mark of her book, a pair of bare feet entered her peripheral vision. She looked up, only to be met with the silvery-blue-eyed gaze of one Luna Lovegood. Smiling softly, Luna invited the Potter Heiress to come and help her pick flowers for a little project of hers. The blonde asked so nicely. Who was Ashley to decline? Never mind that the forest was off limits more than that it had ever been. Ashley was no amateur in sneaking around. Besides, none of the professors really patrolled the area. Anyone could get in and out of the forest as they pleased. It was irresponsible on the staff’s part, though Ashley figured they’d depended on Dumbledore to have set up wards. Anyhow, this is how she found herself carrying a small basket, bending down every now and then to pluck flowers from the ground alongside her Ravenclaw friends.

“I found a full patch!” Cora exclaimed.

“I found one too!” Ai cheered.

“That’s great! We’ve got enough now, I think.” Heaven declared, sorting through her own basket.

“Alright. Let’s go find Luna then.” Ashley advised.

She wasn’t surprised to find Luna in the same field where the entrance to Life’s Grove was hidden. However, what did surprise Ashley was the fact that the field looked more…full of life, in a sense. The trees and the grass definitely seemed greener, _healthier_ , and there was more flora than she remembered during her last visit. Perhaps Astra was having tea with her sister again? Eve’s presence would explain the livelier appearance of the field, or perhaps it was all Astra’s doing? It would make more sense since Life’s Groves was Astra’s home, not Eve’s. If it was that, then surely Ashley was doing something right if Astra was getting stronger instead of ebbing away like her siblings had feared.

Ashley was brought out of her thoughts when she noticed Luna waving. The group approached the younger Ravenclaw and sat down to form a loose circle with her, presenting their baskets filled with the varieties of flowers they picked up. Luna gratefully thanked them and requested for the baskets to be placed in the middle of their circle. She reached for Ai’s first and plucked two flowers from it, one a pure white and the other a pale blue. Much to the other girls’ unconcealed wonder, she began delicately twisting the stems together.

“What are you doing?” Cora curiously leaned forward.

“I’m making flower crowns. Maybe some other accessories too, if I can remember how. My mum used to make these for me all the time.” Luna wistfully answered.

“If you want, we can help.” Heaven offered.

“Yeah! I don’t know how, but I’ve always wanted to learn.” Ai added.

“It’s quite easy.” Luna insisted, “Grab yourselves a pair, the color doesn’t really matter but it’ll be better if they’re complementary. Then you weave them like this…”

The girls dutifully followed her instructions. It was a bit chaotic at first but eventually, they all had crowns on their heads, bracelets on their wrists, and necklaces around their necks. Realizing there more than a few extra flowers left, Luna gave Ai and Cora full rein to experiment. The two Ravenclaws wanted to braid flowers into everyone’s hair. Despite having no prior knowledge regarding braiding, Ai and Cora did quite well. At least, Ashley thought so as she judged her reflection in her mirror. The others seemed to agree with her.

“How do I look?” Heaven playfully posed.

“Like a proper nymph, if I’ve ever seen one.” Luna giggled.

“In that case, I’m keeping this on.” Heaven decided, “It’s allowed, isn’t it? It’s not like we have any classes.”

“You better show it off! I worked hard on that braid of yours. Don’t you dare let my all effort go to waste.” Ai threatened with a smile.

“I won’t, I won’t.” Heaven reassured, “But if anything, you should be berating Cora. Her hair’s tons better than mine.”

“Blaise won’t be able to look away.” Ashley teased.

Cora lightly swatted at her arm, her cheeks gaining a bright red hue. Ashley laughed and dodged, moving closer to Luna to avoid any more hits as she continued to make fun of Cora in a lighthearted manner. True to her word, Heaven indeed refused to undo her braid for the rest of the day with the other girls following suit. As a result, they were the talk of the castle in a way they hadn’t been for quite some time now. Many of the female students (and a number of male ones as well) from all years and Houses (yes, even Slytherins) approached the group, sheepishly requesting for their own flower accessories. The group was nice enough to go along with it, though it was a hassle. But hey, none of them were complaining. A handful had decided to pay them for their work and the whole thing certainly kept them busy until the following day.

Presenting a fourth year Slytherin with the green and white bracelet he’d asked for (it was for his girlfriend, he’d said), Ashley excused herself from the table and slipped out of the great hall. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smirking, knowing that there were accusatory glares aimed at her retreating form. She didn’t need to turn back to know that her friends were pouting, grumbling about her leaving when they still had much work to do. She’d make it up to them later. Right now, her hands were tired and she had something important to fetch.

Arriving at Greenhouse 1, she stopped by the doors when she heard a conversation happening from inside. She recognized the voices too. She didn’t want to intrude but they didn’t seem like they were discussing a topic she wasn’t supposed to hear. So, she deemed to safe to enter and announce her presence.

“Hey, you three.” She said, walking up to the trio surrounding a familiar flaming flower that appeared to perk up once it was in her range of sight.

“Ashley! Come look at this. Have you ever seen such a beautiful flower?” Mitchelle swooned.

“I have, yeah. That’s my plant, you know.” Ashley admitted, amused.

“This is yours?” Pansy asked with wide eyes.

“Uh huh.” Ashley nonchalantly confirmed, “It was a gift from Tom. It’s really pretty, isn’t it?”

“Do you, by any chance, have the…?” Neville trailed off.

“The rose? I do. The sun’s about to set so if you wanna see it, you’re welcome to come to the dorm with me.” Ashley invited.

Mitchelle, Pansy, and Neville simultaneously nodded, unable to hide their elation. Ashley grabbed her potted carnation, tucking it safely into her arms before tilting her head as a gesture for the trio to follow her. They began chatting along the way. It was, after all, a long walk from the greenhouse to the top of Gryffindor tower.

“Why was it in the greenhouse?”

“It hasn’t been getting a lot of sunlight on my windowsill. I figured that greenhouse would be better for it until the skies cleared.”

“It has been awfully cloudy lately, hasn’t it?”

“Is this why you’ve been meeting at the greenhouse? You’ve been studying my plant?”

“I mean, it’s one of the reasons. Mostly, we’ve just been assisting Professor Sprout.”

“Extra credit never hurt anyone.”

“Right, and I need the experience if I ever want to teach Herbology someday.”

Upon reaching the tower, the four of them headed straight for the second year girls’ dorm room. She led them to what she’d claimed as her windowsill and returned her carnation to where it belonged. Afterwards, she carefully sat down on her bed as to not disturb the sleeping snake on top of it and urged the others to do the same. They waited together, counting down the seconds until the rose would bloom.

“Have they ever bloomed at the same time?”

“Yeah. There’s always a short moment of it.”

Right on cue, as the last vestiges of sunlight kept the carnation’s flames from fading, the darkened sky and the faint sight of the crescent moon triggered the rose into blossoming. Ashley was accustomed to such a view but obviously, her friends weren’t. They watched in awe as white petals unfurled and turned translucent, calm and dainty and a vast contrast from its blazing counterpart. Ashley would never tire of seeing her flowers transform. She really was thankful that Tom had thought of gifting them to her.

Happy to let her friends enjoy the moment, she instead lent her attention to her familiar who was slowly coming to. He yawned and drowsily slithered over, travelling up her arm and curling around her neck. She wasn’t a hundred percent sure but he might have fallen back to sleep. Not that she minded. It simply meant that she had to make sure not to move too much or be rowdy so that Moko would stay comfortable.

This became fairly challenging when dinner came. Compared to yesterday’s meals, Hogwarts’ residents were considerably merrier, which made them considerably _louder_. Although, the noise didn’t seem to bother Moko all that much. In fact, Ashley didn’t even feel him flinch or fidget when they entered the busy hall. Still, she cast an imperturbable charm on him just to be on the safe side.

The dinner feast was delicious, as per usual. However, there was something different. Fred and George were whispering and snickering to themselves, acting so damn suspicious that the people around them were starting to freak, paranoid that the twins had done something to them. Ashley guessed that there was a prank in motion but as the meal progressed, nobody went bald or turned a different color. It made her awfully curious as to what the twins had planned for the evening. Luckily, she got her chance to ask when they, wearing identical grins that clearly spelled trouble, approached her while she was talking with Maia and Thalia.

“What are you two up to?” Thalia narrowed her eyes.

“Follow us and you shall find out.” The twins chorused, instantly walking away right after.

“That was…vague.” Maia blinked, “I feel like something bad is about to happen.”

“It’s Fred and George. Something bad always happens when they’re involved.” Ashley quipped.

Maia and Thalia were inclined to agree with her. Nevertheless, the three of them tailed the twins until they reached the seventh floor. Unsurprisingly, the twins summoned the Room of Requirement and led the trio inside where a couch, two armchairs, and a single coffee table waited. Upon seating their guests and themselves, the twins then took hold of the pouches they’d had strapped to their belts. Fred pulled out exactly five glasses from his pouch while George pulled a tall bottle from his. The glasses were filled with foaming, caramel-colored liquid that seemed to be pouring endlessly from just that one bottle before being handed to each person present. Ashley immediately knew what it was, of course, but something seemed slightly… _off_.

“Is this Butterbeer?” Maia asked incredulously.

“Why, yes, it is!” Fred enthusiastically answered.

“Is it?” Ashley raised an eyebrow, “This can’t be _just_ Butterbeer. That’s way too innocent for the likes of you.”

“Clever little raven!” George praised.

“What did you two do?” Thalia eyed her own glass dubiously.

“We may or may not have snuck in a bottle of Firewhisky.” George revealed.

“We also may or may not have mixed small doses of that said Firewhisky into our drinks.” Fred continued.

“Figures...” Maia sighed, “Cheers!”

Raising her glass with a grin, she began chugging her drink while Fred and George encouraged her. Thalia followed suit, losing the cool mask she wore on a daily basis. Ashley, on the other hand, was hesitant before her companions managed to cajole her into letting loose. She’d always been a bit of a lightweight. More than a bit, actually, which really showed when an hour later, she was wondering to herself how the Weasley twins had multiplied from two to four. Let it be known that this was after only three glasses of the Firewhisky-infused Butterbeer. This was exactly why Alyssa and Mitchelle had never allowed her more than one drink every time they went out. With that said, it didn’t take the others very long to figure out that the raven-haired girl was bordering on being completely drunk.

“Sirius and Remus will kill you both if they ever find out about this.” Thalia commented.

“Yes, we’re aware.” Fred nodded, “So for our sake,-”

“-let’s all agree _not_ tell anyone about this affair.” George stressed.

“How are we supposed to get her back to the dorm? She can’t even walk straight.” Thalia pointed out, watching Ashley walk around the room and stumble on air.

“We can use her cloak?” Maia proposed.

“That’s not a good idea. We might end up losing her and if one of the professors bump into her…” Thalia grimaced.

“We’ll get detention for the rest of our lives. Yup.” Maia pursed her lips.

Unbeknownst to the brainstorming quartet, Ashley was getting relatively sleepy. She was tempted to lay down on the floor but that wouldn’t be very comfortable. The couch wasn’t an option either because Fred and George were taking up all of the space. Ashley wanted her bed and so, she set out on a journey to find it.

“We’ll have to take our chances. We can’t stay here for the rest of the night.”

“Actually… Why not? It’ll be like a sleepover.”

“Well, when you put it like that… I suppose it’s not a bad idea.”

“Okay! Let’s summon a different room then. Ashley, we’re-… Ashley?”

_Oh shit._

That was the group’s collective thought process when they realized that the Potter Heiress was nowhere to be found. Never mind detention. Sirius and Remus would be out for blood, _their_ blood, if anything happened to Ashley. Drinking had been a terrible idea, and now the four of them were paying the price.

Fortunately, Lady Magic was on their side that night. The search for Ashley didn’t take too long. They tracked her down in a small alcove, leaning against the wall half-unconscious with a mysteriously _Engorgio_ ’d Moko wrapped around her to keep her from falling over. Safe to say, the serpent was pissed that his nap had been cut short and that his little one could have gotten herself hurt. He expressed his anger verbally but since no one other than Ashley could understand him, nobody could properly listen to his threats. However, Fred, George, Maia, and Thalia all got the message. Never again would they make the same mistake, and neither would Ashley. The headache she’d have to recover from would ensure that.


	23. Sanctuary

“What do you think?”

“I… Yeah, I mean, that’s…close enough.”

Ashley fought against the urge to cringe outwardly, not wanting to hurt her companion’s feelings. Instead, she forced on a smile and met Cora’s gaze head-on, determined not to take another glance at the Ravenclaw’s drawing. See, they were in the study hall, practicing their sketching. Cora had recently recruited Ashley to tutor her in a sense so she could gift her mother a portrait on her mother’s birthday. It was going well, Ashley supposed. It was just that Cora tended to make certain features a bit misshaped which led to the whole drawing looking… _bizarre_. Other than that, she was doing great.

“Really?” Cora dubiously pulled a face.

“Really.” Ashley nodded reassuringly.

“You don’t have to lie to make me feel better. It looks weird, doesn’t it?” Cora sighed, crumpling her parchment into a ball.

“Weird isn’t the term I would use.” Ashley chewed on her lower lip.

“Disturbing, then? Is it the eyes? Too round, too big?”

“Kind of, yeah. And the mouth… It maybe looks like…a lemur.”

“Merlin’s sake… I’m never gonna get this.”

“Oh, don’t give up now. We’ll do it step by step. It’s how I learned. Here, like this…”

Ashley grabbed an empty piece of parchment and levitated Esther Hampton’s picture that Cora provided for the sixth time that afternoon. Grabbing her pencil, Ashley patiently guided Cora as they drew an outline together. Halfway through, Cora stopped drawing in favor of watching Ashley shade her sketch. Moko, curled around Ashley’s neck, was doing the same thing too. He’d once offhandedly mentioned that watching her hobby was almost as hypnotic as hearing her sing.

“You’re really good at this.” Cora complimented.

“I just practice a lot, but thank you.” Ashley chuckled, flushing.

A little more than an hour passed and Esther’s portrait was finally finished. It was far from flawless but the two girls still deemed it perfect. Grateful, Cora repeatedly thanked Ashley and rushed off to the owlery. Ashley smiled to herself and began packing her things, waving her wand to get rid of the balls of parchment around her. Just as she stood to leave, a trio of her Slytherin friends came barreling towards her, all wide-eyed with barely concealed panic.

“Pansy, Draco, Blaise? What’s wrong?” Ashley asked, alarmed.

“We…have…a problem...” Draco panted, “Dear _Merlin_ … Did we have to run all the way?”

“Sit down, you’ll be fine.” Pansy rolled her eyes, “Ashley, we’ve got bad news.”

“Well, what is it?” Ashley pressed.

“We can’t talk about it here.” Blaise insisted.

Ashley nodded understandingly and led them to Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. It was the nearest place they could talk freely, where no one would be able to eavesdrop on them as long as the right wards were in place. Not that anyone outside the Marauders would ever want to visit the haunted bathroom on their own accord. If it wasn’t obvious enough, he other students typically avoided Myrtle so her bathroom was a safe assembly spot. Additionally, Draco, who was still catching his breath, would have thrown a fit if they even attempted to go to the Room of Requirement.

“So?” Ashley prompted once the door was shut.

“Malfoy Manor’s going to be raided.” Draco blurted out.

“ _What_?!” Ashley yelped.

“Father sent me a letter.” Draco clarified.

“Pansy and I received similar letters from our parents.” Blaise added, “Our manors will be raided too.”

“How? Why? The Minister doesn’t even believe that the Dark Lord’s actually back!” Ashley pointed out.

“Well, somehow, Dumbledore convinced him to at least make sure that his assumptions are true.” Draco huffed.

“Can’t the Death Eaters hide somewhere else?” Ashley suggested.

“Where? All the homes of the pardoned Death Eaters and those assumed to support the Dark lord will be raided the day after tomorrow. There’s not enough time to find a place for all those marked!” Pansy fretted.

Ashley paced back and forth, desperately trying to come up with any kind of solution. There was no doubt in her mind that Tom already had one but as far as she knew, he only had two possible options. He could either conceal himself and all his followers somewhere within the manor, or they could confront the Aurors and, most likely, Dumbledore himself. Both options were dangerously risky, particularly since an encounter would surely lead to a number of deaths and injuries on both sides. Most importantly, if Dumbledore were to be proven right about Voldemort’s return, the old man’s reputation would gain a positive rise. Such an occurrence would not bode well for the dark side and its allies.

Ashley continued brainstorming, refusing to let down her friends who had obviously approached her for advice. The Death Eaters needed a hideout, somewhere the Aurors could never enter without permission, somewhere secret and inconspicuous so that Dumbledore would never think about invading it. What place could fit that description? It took Ashley a whole three minutes before a lightbulb (metaphorically, of course) lit up above her head.

“I may have an idea, but I’ll need permission.”

“I think I may know where you’re going with this.”

“Uh huh. It’s a good thing tonight’s a full moon. If things go well, I’ll have an answer by morning.”

The gathered four split up to return to whatever they were doing. Ashley marched off to her last class for the day, eager to be done with it all so that she could see her soul-bonded again. During class, time seemed to drag on and on. Every second felt like an hour, every minute felt like a day. Even with the delicious food presented at the evening meal, Ashley wanted nothing more than to run outside, into the forest, and back into her soul-bonded’s arms.

Eventually, she did get her wish. A deep howl sounding from the forest alerted her of her favorite people’s presence as she sat in the common room, no other Gryffindors in sight for it was way past curfew. Throwing on her cloak, she was quick to get up and slip through the exit, not bothering to change out of her pajamas. She hurried to the edge of the forest and pushed through the shrubbery, bursting out into a wide grin when she spotted the two forms belonging to her soul-bonded.

Sirius shifted back from Padfoot just as she threw herself at him, readily catching her in his warm embrace. Moony, feeling tragically left out, tackled them to the ground and squeezed himself between them. Ashley giggled and snuggled into his fur, ignoring her now dirtied clothes. It was well worth spending time with her Padfoot and Moony. After all, they only visited once a month, unless she got admitted to the hospital wing again.

“Mind telling me what’s on your mind, Bambi?” Sirius nudged her around midnight when he noticed that she kept spaced out.

“Tom and the others are in trouble.” She spilled, fiddling with the hem of her top.

“In trouble, how?” Sirius furrowed his eyebrows.

“Auror raids. I know they can take them but… It might cost lives and it’ll prove Dumbledore was right.” Ashley scowled.

“Well.” Sirius leaned back, “We can’t have that, now, can we? How may we assist you, darling?”

“You really want to help?” Ashley regarded the Animagus with a hopeful gaze.

“Of course!” Sirius exclaimed, “Moony and I are with you all the way. Isn’t that right, Moony?”

Moony raised his head from Ashley’s lap and barked in affirmation. Sirius smirked, encouraging the Potter Heiress to fully explain the situation at hand and share whatever idea she had, which she gladly did.

“Can we hide them in the manor? It’s certainly big enough for all of them.”

“No, it’s too close and it’s traceable. With how old the wards are, they won’t hold against a whole unit of Aurors, and Dumbledore if he decides to come with.”

“Can’t we strengthen the wards?”

“Only a Potter can and you, my darling, must be emancipated to do that. Besides that, they’ll all know we’re helping Voldemort.”

“Right, right… Didn’t think about that. Where can we hide them then?”

“The only other property that’s available.”

For the sake of his idea, Sirius and Ashley spent the rest of the night collecting stones from the forest floor. It was quite a search, seeing as they needed stones with as much magical residue in them as possible. The specification was to make everything easier for Ashley to execute since the plan did require a great amount of magic. As was the nature of creating a single portkey, and she was supposed to make more than a dozen to encompass all of the Death Eaters lying low.

She was thankful that she had a free period first thing the following morning. She needed all the time she could get to work on all of the portkey (especially since she’d ended up sleeping through breakfast). She needed all the _help_ she could get as well. Making more than five portkeys at a time was highly ill-advised as it was tiring for an ordinary witch or wizard’s core. Ashley was, fortunately, no ordinary witch. However, she had never actually _made_ a portkey so her lack of skills in that certain department might hinder her.

This was the reason she would be acquiring all of her friends’ help. There was enough of them to get the job done. It would take a lot of time, and they would need to come and go to attend classes, but Ashley had hope that they would be able to finish by the end of the day. If not, she was more than willing to do an all-nighter. All she needed now was to assemble her friends. Luckily, she didn’t have to go far. After getting dressed in a drowsy state, she discovered that Draco was apparently waiting for her in the common room.

“How did your talk go?”

“I got permission. Gather the others, we’ll need all the help we can get.”

“I’m on it. We’ll meet you at the Room of Requirement?”

“Yeah. I’ll get everything ready.”

Watching Draco leave, Ashley gave in to a yawn and rubbed her eyes. Five hours of sleep, that was all she got. It wasn’t enough, but it would have to be. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had to rely on adrenaline. Besides, caffeine was always available. Ashley couldn’t travel all the way to the kitchens, not when she was already so close to the Room of Requirement, but the house-elves were always willing to serve an Heir. With that said, she summoned one to request a cup of coffee with cream and sugar before she entered the RoR.

“Ashley?” Neville called out upon arriving with the rest of the Marauders in tow.

“I will explain, but first... All of you, grab a stone.” Ashley instructed, gesturing towards the pile of stones in the middle of the room.

The Marauders did as they were told and seated themselves on the floor cushions, forming a kind of distorted circle around the pile of stones. Squished between Ai and Mitchelle, Ashley speedily caught everyone up to date and informed them of what they needed to do. All agreed to participate, encouraging the Potter Heiress to continue directing them.

As Sirius had demonstrated, creating a portkey had a strict process. One couldn’t just cast _Portus_ and expect it to be done and over with. First, one had to carve the rune representing safe travels onto the surface of the chosen object to be turned into a portkey. Next, the destination must be set by infusing one’s magic into the chosen object while chanting the address of the said destination. This step coincided with an optional one which was setting an activation schedule or password. Lastly, when the magic within the chosen object finally settled, this was the time to utter the incantation. The whole process was technically quite simple but the second step would be troublesome for everyone since the portkey would lead to an exceptionally distant setting. If Ashley had opted to do this on her own, her core would be dangerously drained and she would earn a long stay at the hospital wing, if not at St. Mungo’s.

As the hours went by, the Marauders kept switching between classrooms and the Room of Requirement. Some had even taken to bringing stones along wherever they went in order to carry on with their work. Ashley was part of this group, unsurprisingly enough. She persisted with producing as many portkeys as she could even as she sat through lessons. Unfortunately, as curfew drew nearer, the group was unable to use up every stone.

“You guys should rest. It’s getting late.” Ashley soon declared.

“What about you?” Dominic countered.

“I’ll be fine. There’s only a few more left anyway. I’ll see you at breakfast.” Ashley insisted.

“Are you sure?” Alyssa hesitated, “We’re not tired yet.”

“Yes, I am and yes, you are. Go.” Ashley urged.

One by one, the Marauders retreated to their respective dorms, albeit a little reluctant. With the help gone, Ashley needed to double her efforts. She was more than ready to put in the work but if she really was going to stay up all night, she would need a much comfortable working space than a cushion on the floor. She probably should have thought of that earlier. In her defense, she probably would have if she wasn’t functioning on five hours of sleep. Although, five hours of sleep was a blessing compared to none at all, which she currently had to live off of.

Having taken a glance at her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she returned to the dorm, she would be the first to admit that she looked positively horrible. Her skin had lost its healthy glow, her hair was a bit frazzled, and there were dark bags under her eyes. She must have used more magic than she thought, but that was fine. Nothing a long shower and a glamour wouldn’t fix. She didn’t have time for anything else. She needed to secure the Death Eaters before breakfast.

Drying her hair with a quick spell (which was completely irresponsible in her state of health), she changed into something comfortable and marched up to the Astronomy tower. Much to her surprise, Snape was there. He didn’t seem surprised to see her, like he was expecting her to show up, though he did narrow his eyes at her. It made her suspect that he somehow saw through her glamour, but he didn’t seem inclined to say anything. Instead, he sighed and extended his arm towards her.

“Come on then, Miss Potter.”

Ashley accepted the invitation and placed her hand in the crook of Snape’s arm. His magic flared to surround them before they disappeared, reappearing in the family room of Malfoy Manor. Ashley went to search for Tom and Henrik but before she could, Snape grabbed hold of her wrist and regarded her with blatant disapproval.

“You need to pace yourself and rest properly. You can’t keep going on like this. You’ll have those two mutts of yours storming the castle because of your recklessness.” He warned.

“I know, I know. I’ll take it easy from now on.” Ashley weakly promised despite knowing full well that she was going to break it.

Anyone who had at least one brain cell would know better than to believe anything that came out of her mouth when she was referring to her condition. Because more often than not, she would make light of whatever she was going through. However, an individual with more than one brain cell such as Snape also knew better than to convince her to do otherwise. She was infuriatingly bullheaded, just as her father had been. She was a true Potter, that was undeniable. So, Snape simply accepted her fake vow and let her go, wandering off to a different direction to reunite with his fellow Death Eaters.

Ashley allowed her senses to lead her to the manor’s basement where prisoners, if Tom had any, were usually kept. She found Tom and Henrik near the farthest cells, wands out and waving while they muttered a variety of incantations. They were most likely erecting wards as protection for the raid later that day. Not that they would need the wards. They would be safe elsewhere.

“Tom, Henrik, hey.” Ashley interrupted, “What’re you two doing?”

“Haven’t you heard about the incoming raids?” Henrik frowned.

“Of course I have. Is this your plan? Staying trapped in the dungeons all day while the Aurors search the manor?” Ashley raised an eyebrow.

“Have you got a better idea?” Tom snarked.

“Yes. I do, actually.” Ashley sassed in return.

Digging through her satchel, she retrieved the charmed pouch she’d transfigured from a pillowcase and offered it to Tom. The Dark Lord took it with caution and opened it, pulling out one of stones it carried for closer inspection.

“Are these…portkeys?” He asked, sounding impressed.

“Yes. My friends and I worked hard on these, so don’t waste a single one. Call your Death Eaters and pass these along. Password’s murder.” Ashley asserted.

“…Murder?” Henrik blinked.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Ashley pouted, “I was sleep-deprived. I’ll be waiting on the other side.”

With those words, she reached into her pocket and touched the portkey she’d saved for herself. A hook latched itself from somewhere behind her navel and hauled her from existence, spitting her out in the foyer of the Potter Isles’ villa. Grumbling, she righted herself with the help of Sirius who was struggling with keeping a straight face. She would never appreciate travelling by portkey, not when she ended up embarrassing herself every time. It was honestly irritating how she always failed to land on her feet. Next time, she would definitely be apparating.

Sirius wrapped a protective arm around her when the first group of Death Eaters materialized, and stepped even closer when the rest arrived. The Potter Heiress couldn’t help but smile at this. Sirius always was so mindful with her. Maybe it was a good thing that Remus wasn’t around. If he was, then Ashley would have been unnecessarily hounded by him and Sirius both. She wasn’t complaining though, not at all. She greatly appreciated her soul-bonded’s love for her, as overprotective as it was.

“Is this everyone?” Ashley addressed Tom.

“Yes. Where are we?” The Dark Lord curiously asked.

“The Potter Isles, my grandmother’s sanctuary. You’re all welcome to stay here for as long as you’d like. It’s not like anything else is living here, except for the animals.” Ashley shrugged.

“ _Animals_?” Tom echoed incredulously.

“I told you, it’s a sanctuary. Apparently, my grandmother adored animals as much as I do.”

Ashley eventually excused herself, letting Sirius handle the Death Eaters despite the pleading look he sent her. She wandered for a bit and found her way to the shore where a bale of fire crabs was nesting. Not wanting to bother the creatures, she plopped down on a boulder and contented herself to watching them from afar. Soon enough, she sensed the ever so familiar auras of Barty and Rabastan, seconds before they joined her on the boulder.

“Hey.” Barty greeted.

“Hi.” Ashley responded.

“What are you doing out here? Black’s about lose what’s left of his sanity in there.” Rabastan remarked.

“I’m watching the fire crabs. They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Ashley mused.

“They are.” Rabastan agreed, “They won’t attack us, will they?”

“No, definitely not…” Ashley paused, “But to be safe, avoid provoking them, or just avoid them in general.”

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Barty snickered.

Ashley continued to observe the fire crabs until Barty threw his arm around her shoulders. Bewildered, she turned towards him, only to be met with a strangely warm smile. She slowly faced Rabastan, wanting to ask what in Merlin’s name was wrong with his best friend, but he was wearing a similar expression. He even reached out to tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. He and Barty could be so handsy at times, but not disrespectfully so. Ashley had yet to sense vile intentions from them so she never really stopped them. In hindsight, she probably should have, if only to have evaded the anger of a certain werewolf.

“Remy!” She gasped as she heard Remus’ growl, jumping off the boulder and away from the Death Eaters.

“Bambi.” Remus cooed affectionately, a vast contrast from the cold rage his amber eyes held.

Fearing for her friends’ lives, Ashley walked forward and hugged his torso. She rested her chin on his chest and turned her perfected puppy dog eyes on, knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist. Of course, she was right. One glance at her and Remus’ threatening stance melted, giving way to the chocolate-addicted softie he was on a normal day. He aimed one last glare at the retreating Death Eaters before cuddling his cub close, happily nuzzling her hair to cover her in his scent.

“Wait. Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“I am. I’ve been holed up in one of the bedrooms since Sirius apparated us here yesterday.”

“I wish I could stay here with you…”

“I’d love nothing more than that, but you can’t miss breakfast. Dumbledore will notice.”

Ashley kept her mouth shut, unable to reveal that no, Dumbledore would not notice. It wouldn’t be the first time she skipped breakfast, both intentionally and accidentally, but Remus could _not_ find out about that. So, she quietly nodded and buried her face into his chest, vehemently ignoring the guilt stewing in her gut.

True to her word, she met with her friends at the Hufflepuff table after she and Snape got back. With the glamour on, it was easy to wave off any concern thrown her way. Making sure that nobody noticed her trembling hands was a bit taxing, but she really didn’t need her friends worrying about her. It wasn’t like she’d exhausted her core. It was just a bit _depleted_ , enough to take a toll on her physically. She was fine though. She’d survive. She always would.


End file.
